System and method for programming pluggable transceivers

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for programming pluggable transceivers are provided. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving RFID data from an RFID device in proximity to a network transceiver via an RFID antenna in the network transceiver, said RFID data defining an operating configuration of the network transceiver; and programming the network transceiver according to the operating configuration defined by the received RFID data. In an embodiment, a network transceiver includes: a host interface for connecting to a host; a network interface for transmitting and receiving signals to and from a network; an RFID antenna for receiving RFID data; and a controller in operative communication with the network interface and the RFID antenna, said controller operating the network interface according to an operating configuration, wherein the operating configuration of the controller is programmed using the RFID data received via the RFID antenna. Various other embodiments are also provided.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a bypass continuation of, and claims priority to PCTApplication No. PCT/CA2018/050021, filed Jan. 11, 2018, and to itspriority application, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/463,296, filed Feb. 24, 2017, the entirety of each of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to pluggable transceivers, andmore particularly to programming, provisioning or configuring apluggable transceiver using Radio-Frequency Identification, Near FieldCommunications, and/or other types of communication based on radio waves(hereinafter collectively referred to as “RFID”).

BACKGROUND

Communications and data service providers are deploying large numbers ofpluggable transceivers across their networks to support the increasingdemand for connectivity and bandwidth. They are quick and easy toinstall enabling rapid service delivery and network capacity upgrades.Pluggable transceivers include a broad range of standard device types,for example multi-source agreement (MSA) pluggable transceivers; smallform-factor pluggable (SFP), enhanced SFP (SFP+), XFP, SFP, QuadSFP+(QSFP+), SFP28, QSFP28, C form-factor pluggable types (CFP), etc.,and proprietary “smart” SFP types. In addition, pluggable transceiversinclude other standard and proprietary device types, for example; RJ45Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices and dongles, USB devices and dongles,Internet of Things (IoT) telematics devices and sensors, communications,computer and storage system plugin cards such as optical transponders,muxponders, and switch network interface cards, packet switch and routerinterface cards, computer server cards, wireless transceiver andtransponder cards, data acquisition and control equipment cards,audio/video encoder and decoder cards, etc., and mobile devices, havingvarious configurations, form factors, network and or host interfaces,functions, and management interfaces.

In general, a pluggable transceiver is configured with an optical orelectrical network interface specified by an MSA and or other standards,for example IEEE 802.3 Working Group, ITU TelecommunicationStandardization Sector, the Internet Engineering Task Force, the MetroEthernet Forum, the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers,Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, etc. Consequently,pluggable transceivers support a plurality of network interfaceprotocols, such as Gigabit Ethernet, OTN, CWDM, DWDM, Fiber Channel,SONET/SDH, GPON, CPRI, RFoG, etc. optical protocols, and Ethernet, xDSL,Gfast, T1/E1/T3/E3, etc. electrical protocols, or wireless protocolssuch as LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID, NFC, or Serial Digital Interfaceprotocols, etc. In addition, pluggable transceivers support a pluralityof network interface transmission formats, rates andwavelengths/frequencies. The network interface is typically configuredwith the appropriate connector type to interface with the physicaltransmission medium, for example, fiber optic, RJ45, etc. connector.Many pluggable transceivers, for example an Ethernet switch line card,provide one or more pluggable network interfaces each configured with apluggable transceiver interface port that can accept a plurality of MSApluggable transceiver types (e.g. an SFP+) to be installed and providethe desired network interface.

In general, a pluggable transceiver is configured with a host interfaceor adapter as specified in an MSA and or other standards and or otherproprietary specification. Consequently, pluggable transceivers supporta plurality of host interfaces, such as Ethernet MSA, USB, PoE, SCTE RFMSA, SMPTE SDI MSA, PCI, PICMG, SGPIO, VMEBus, ATCA, etc hostinterfaces. The host interface includes at least one of the following;communications, management, power and mechanical interfaces, and enablea pluggable transceiver to be installed in or connected to a host (i.e.via a physical interface to attach the transceiver to the host), and/orto operate when installed in or connected to a host (i.e. by allowingthe transceiver to send and receive signals to and from the host, andfor managing the transmission of such signals). The management interfaceenables a host to identify, program, configure and manage a pluggabletransceiver, for example, the host is configured to read or write an MSAhost interface management memory map, data fields and values. Managementinformation is usually programmed into the pluggable transceivernon-volatile memory during the manufacturing process, etc. This type ofmemory is commonly an EEPROM, FRAM, NOR Flash or NAND Flash.Manufacturers may also program the pluggable transceiver memory withproprietary information, for example using proprietary MSA mapextensions, data fields and values to configure and manage a “smart”SFP. The management interface is typically implemented using amanagement protocol and communications interface, for example a hostinterface providing an MSA memory mapped management protocol defining aset of memory address, data fields and values that are read and orwritten to memory using an I²C EEPROM communications interface. In somepluggable transceivers, programming, configuration and management of thepluggable transceiver is performed by a remote management systemconnected to a network, the pluggable transceiver configured to connectto such network via the network interface and or host interfacecommunications interface, and such network and or host interfacesproviding an in-band management interface (e.g. an Ethernet/IPcommunications interface and SNMP, CLI, and or Web GUI managementinterfaces). In addition, the host management interface may includeother hardware control/status signals to operate the pluggabletransceiver.

Manufacturers combine various integrated circuits, processors,programmable logic devices, memory, programs and data to configure apluggable transceiver to provide functions and interfaces for specificapplications and or operational configurations. Typically, amanufacturer will program and or configure a pluggable transceivermemory using proprietary methods during the manufacturing process andaccording to a desired operating configuration using predeterminedprograms and or data defining said desired operating configuration.Typically, a pluggable transceiver operator will configure a pluggabletransceiver memory in the field via the host interface or networkinterface according to a desired operating configuration with datadefining such desired operating configuration.

In general, pluggable transceivers are equipped with a controller,wherein the controller programs, configures and operates the pluggabletransceiver. For such pluggable transceivers, a manufacturer willprogram the memory with programs and or data used by the controller. Inaddition, the memory may also be programmed with other programmabledevice programs and or data, for example storing the configuration of aField Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and IC configuration registerdata. For example, the programs and or data stored in memory and thelogic gates in an FGPA are configured according to a desired operatingconfiguration to provide an SFP supporting Gigabit Ethernet configuredto provide network interface device (NID) functionality withcorresponding network and host interfaces. The pluggable transceiveroperating configuration is typically identified by a pluggabletransceiver identification code, for example a product equipment codeand or model number, etc.

In general, pluggable transceivers provide the capability to at leastpartially change or modify the pluggable transceiver host interfacemanagement data stored in memory. For example a pluggable transceivercan be configured in the field to support operations and maintenanceactivities such as setting host interface alarm and warning thresholdparameters, laser output power output, receiver input, etc. Somepluggable transceivers provide the capability to change or modify theall pluggable transceiver programs and or data stored in memory in thefield to support operations and maintenance using proprietary file (e.g.a file containing programs and or data) download and upgrade methods orusing proprietary field programming systems, for example such upgradesused for fixing program defects or enabling new functionality, etc.

Some networking equipment manufacturers (NEMs) recommend that theoperators of their equipment, for example service providers, usestandard MSA pluggable transceivers wherein one or more host interfacememory map data field value stored in memory must match thecorresponding host interface memory map identification data field valuesprovided by their proprietary pluggable transceivers. Consequently, someMSA compliant transceivers cannot be used in particular NEM equipmentunless their host interface memory map identification data fields areprogrammed exactly according to the NEM host interface requirements.

Some service providers require that pluggable transceivers bepre-programmed and or pre-configured prior to deployment to meet theiroperational requirements. Consequently, the pluggable transceiver memorymust be programmed with specific host interface management data, such asfor example thresholds for digital diagnostic interface voltage andtemperature monitoring, and product equipment code identification. Inaddition, proprietary pluggable transceivers configured to providenetwork functions, for example an SFP configured as a network interfacedevice, a service assurance device, a protocol gateway device, opticalnetwork terminal device, etc., must have their memories programmed withspecific proprietary host interface management data.

Therefore, as a matter of practice, a pluggable transceiver may supporta plurality of operational configurations based on standards,proprietary, and service provider requirements that are programmed inthe pluggable transceiver memory during the manufacturing process,wherein each operational configuration may be specific to amanufacturers product equipment code. For example, a manufacturer mayreceive an MSA compliant pluggable transceiver as raw material, performquality control inspection and testing, and program its memory for adesired operating configuration as specified by one of many possiblefinished good product equipment codes for that raw material, thefinished goods is labeled with the product equipment code informationand shipped to a service provider. While this approach enables simpleand traceable material management systems, it can lead to large andvaried inventories of purpose-built (e.g. programmed) products, causinghigh supply chain overhead costs and potentially slowing servicedelivery operations when service or maintenance events are un-forecastedand the required parts are not available.

Other service providers have opted for an alternate approach toimplementing their supply chain and configure each pluggable transceiverof a given product equipment code according one or more operatingconfigurations. This approach has lead manufacturers and third partiesto develop proprietary pluggable transceiver host interface programmingdevices that typically include a computer configured with a pluggabletransceiver interface and proprietary software, some of which have beenadapted for field use.

When not installed, the programmed operating configuration of apluggable transceiver can be determined using the product equipment codeas described above which usually entails scanning or reading the deviceproduct equipment code or bar code label, and if equipped crossreferencing that information to find the product specification in alocal database or through a network database. However, when thepluggable transceiver is configured without changing the productequipment code as described above, the actual device programming and orconfiguration can only be determined by reading the host interfacememory map data field values electronically.

Based on current practice, a service provider can incur significantcapital and operational expenses acquiring, configuring, managing andmaintaining pluggable transceivers throughout their lifecycle. Likewise,pluggable transceiver manufacturers incur significant costs in producingand supplying a very broad portfolio of like pluggable transceivers.Therefore, there exists a need to quickly program or configure pluggabletransceivers in the field with minimal equipment, and to minimize thesize of the pluggable transceiver inventory, and to minimize the time todeploy a pluggable transceiver, and to minimize the time required toidentify a pluggable transceiver and its programmed operatingconfiguration in the supply chain or during installation and maintenanceactivities, and to minimize programming, configuration andidentification errors introduced by operators during the manufacturingprocess and the service lifecycle.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for

SUMMARY

According to an aspect, a system to program a pluggable transceiverusing RFID is provided. The system includes: a smart label, configuredwith a passive RFID tag adapted to store pluggable transceiverprogramming information, the smart label configured to attach to apluggable transceiver; a pluggable transceiver, adapted with an RFIDreader configured with an RFID antenna, the RFID reader and RFID antennaconfigured to communicate with the smart label, the RFID readerconfigured to communicate with a controller; the pluggable transceiverconfigured with a housing adapted with a designated area having a radiofrequency (RF) interface, such housing area used to attach or installsaid smart label; and a program running on said controller invokes theRFID reader to interrogate the smart label to obtain the pluggabletransceiver programming information and programs the pluggabletransceiver memory with information such as data and or programs usingthe pluggable transceiver programming information.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a smartlabel comprising an RFID tag having data stored thereon defining adesired programmed configuration of the pluggable transceiver; b)attaching the smart label to an exterior of the pluggable transceiver;c) reading the data stored on the RFID tag using an RFID reader embeddedin the pluggable transceiver.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a smartlabel comprising an RFID tag having data stored thereon defining adesired programmed configuration of the pluggable transceiver; b)attaching the smart label to an exterior of the pluggable transceiver;c) reading the data stored on the RFID tag using an RFID reader embeddedin the pluggable transceiver; and d) programming the pluggabletransceiver according to the desired programmed configuration defined bythe data read in step c).

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) powering up thepluggable transceiver; b) operating an RFID reader in the pluggabletransceiver to read an RFID tag in proximity to the pluggabletransceiver; and c) upon receiving data stored on the RFID tagcorresponding to a predetermined configuration of the pluggabletransceiver, programming the pluggable transceiver to operate in thepredetermined configuration.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) using an interface onan exterior of the pluggable transceiver to provide data correspondingto a desired operating configuration of the pluggable transceiver; b)installing, connecting or inserting the pluggable transceiver into ahost device; c) powering up the pluggable transceiver; d) reading thedata provided using the interface; and e) programming the pluggabletransceiver according to the desired operating configuration defined bythe data read in step d).

According to an aspect, a method for programming a network transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) receiving RFID datafrom an RFID device in proximity to the network transceiver via an RFIDantenna in the network transceiver, said RFID data defining an operatingconfiguration of the network transceiver; and b) programming the networktransceiver according to the operating configuration defined by thereceived RFID data.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a network transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a smartlabel comprising an RFID tag having data stored thereon defining anoperating configuration of the network transceiver; b) attaching thesmart label to an exterior of the network transceiver; c) reading thedata stored on the RFID tag using an RFID receiver embedded in thenetwork transceiver; and d) programming the network transceiveraccording to the operating configuration defined by the data read instep c).

According to an aspect, a smart label for programming a pluggabletransceiver is provided. The smart label includes: a body having abottom surface; a fastening mechanism for fastening the smart label toan exterior of a pluggable transceiver; and an RFID tag secured to thebody, the RFID tag comprising an RFID memory and an RFID antenna, theRFID memory having stored thereon data defining a desired programmedconfiguration, the RFID memory and RFID antenna configured to transmitdata to an RFID reader in the pluggable transceiver upon interrogationtherefrom. In an embodiment, said RFID antenna at least partiallyprotrudes from the bottom surface of the smart label. In an embodiment,the fastening mechanism comprises an adhesive provided on the bottomsurface of the smart label. In an embodiment, said body and saidadhesive attenuates electromagnetic emissions from said pluggabletransceiver.

According to an aspect, a smart label for programming a networktransceiver is provided. The smart label includes: a substrate; and anRFID tag secured to or embedded in the substrate, the RFID tag havingstored thereon RFID data defining an operating configuration of thenetwork transceiver; wherein the RFID tag is configured to, uponinterrogation from an RFID reader in the network transceiver, transmitthe RFID data to the RFID reader for programming the network transceiverin the operating configuration.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver is provided. Thepluggable transceiver includes a housing; and a circuit board assemblyat least partially contained within the housing, the circuit boardassembly including: a controller for controlling the operation of thepluggable transceiver; an RFID reader and an RFID antenna; wherein thecontroller configured to operate the RFID reader to read data stored onan RFID tag proximate to the pluggable transceiver housing, and tooperate the pluggable transceiver according to an operatingconfiguration defined by the data. In an embodiment, said RFID antennasurface mounted on the circuit board assembly in alignment with theaperture and contained within the housing. In an embodiment, said RFIDantenna mounted proximate in the aperture and not protruding from thehousing, the RFID antenna electrically connected to the circuit boardassembly. In an embodiment, the circuit board assembly at leastpartially protrudes from the housing.

According to an aspect, a network transceiver is provided. The networktransceiver includes a host interface for connecting to a host; anetwork interface for transmitting and receiving signals to and from anetwork; an RFID antenna for receiving RFID data; and a controller inoperative communication with the network interface and the RFID antenna,said controller operating the network interface according to anoperating configuration, wherein the operating configuration of thecontroller is programmed using the RFID data received via the RFIDantenna.

According to an aspect, a network transceiver is provided. The networktransceiver includes a host interface for connecting to a host; anetwork interface for transmitting and receiving signals to and from anetwork; a controller in operative communication with the host interfaceand the network interface, said controller operating the host interfaceand the network interface according to a programmed operatingconfiguration; non-volatile memory having stored thereon a plurality ofpredefined operating configurations of the controller; and a programminginterface for selecting one of the predefined operating configurations,and programming the controller using the selected operatingconfiguration.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver programming system isprovided. The system includes a smart label and a pluggable transceiveras described above.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver programming system isprovided. The system includes: a pluggable transceiver comprising ahousing; and a smart label securable to the housing.

According to an aspect, a programmable network transceiver assembly isprovided. The assembly includes a network transceiver comprising a hostinterface for connecting to a host, a network interface for transmittingand receiving signals to and from a network, an antenna for receivingRFID data, and a controller in operative communication with the hostinterface, the network interface, and the antenna, said controlleroperating the host interface and the network interface according to anoperating configuration; and a smart label secured to the networktransceiver, the smart label comprising a substrate and an RFID tagsecured or embedded in the substrate, the RFID tag having stored thereonRFID data defining an operating configuration of the network interface;wherein the network transceiver's controller is programmed in theoperating configuration following receipt of the RFID data from the RFIDtag via the network transceiver's antenna.

According to an aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium isprovided. The computer-readable medium has instructions stored thereonwhich, when executed by a processor in a network transceiver, cause theprocessor to: a) receive RFID data from an RFID device in proximity tothe network transceiver via an RFID antenna, said RFID data defining anoperating configuration of the network transceiver; and b) program acontroller in the network transceiver according to the operatingconfiguration defined by the received RFID data.

According to an aspect, a system to program a pluggable transceiverusing RFID is provided. The system includes: a pluggable transceiver,configured with a housing adapted with a designated area having an RFinterface, such housing area used to interface with an external RFIDreader/writer (“external RFID reader”), the pluggable transceiverconfigured with an RFID memory adapted to store pluggable transceiverprogramming information and configured with an RFID antenna, the RFIDmemory and an RFID antenna configured to communicate with the externalRFID reader, and the RFID memory configured to communicate with acontroller; and a program running on said controller reads the RFIDmemory to obtain the programming information and programs the pluggabletransceiver memory with information such as data and or programs usingthe programming information; an external RFID reader adapted to storepluggable transceiver programming information, the external RFID readerin communication with said RFID memory; the external RFID reader adaptedto program said RFID memory with the programming information. In anembodiment, the external RFID reader adapted to transmit and receivepluggable transceiver programming information and data from a remotemanagement system or database via a network.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing an externalRFID reader having data stored thereon defining a desired programmedconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver; b) writing the data storedon the external RFID reader to an RFID memory embedded in the pluggabletransceiver.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing an externalRFID reader having data stored thereon defining a desired programmedconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver; b) writing the data storedon the external RFID reader to an RFID memory embedded in the pluggabletransceiver; c) reading the data stored in the RFID memory using acontroller embedded in the pluggable transceiver; and d) programming thepluggable transceiver according to the desired programmed configurationdefined by the data read in step c).

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) operating the externalRFID reader to write to the RFID memory in proximity to the externalRFID reader; b) powering up the pluggable transceiver; and c) uponreading data stored in the RFID memory corresponding to a predeterminedconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver, programming the pluggabletransceiver to operate in the predetermined configuration.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) using an interface onan exterior of the pluggable transceiver to provide data correspondingto a desired operating configuration of the pluggable transceiver.

According to an aspect, a method for programming a pluggable transceiveris provided. The method includes the steps of: a) using an interface onan exterior of the pluggable transceiver to provide data correspondingto a desired operating configuration of the pluggable transceiver; b)installing, connecting or inserting the pluggable transceiver into ahost device; c) powering up the pluggable transceiver; d) reading thedata provided using the interface; and e) programming the pluggabletransceiver according to the desired operating configuration defined bythe data read in step d).

According to an aspect, an external RFID reader for programming apluggable transceiver is provided. The external RFID reader includes: amemory having stored thereon data defining a desired programmedconfiguration; the external RFID reader configured to transmit the datato an RFID memory in the pluggable transceiver; a controller forcontrolling operation of the external reader; wherein the controllerconfigured to write the data to an RFID memory within the pluggabletransceiver housing proximate to the external RFID reader. In anembodiment, the external RFID reader reads the data and or pluggabletransceiver identification and configuration data from said RFID memoryand stores said data in its memory, the external RFID reader configuredto transmit and receive said pluggable transceiver data to a remotemanagement system or database via a network.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver is provided. Thepluggable transceiver includes a housing; and a circuit board assemblyat least partially contained within the housing, the circuit boardassembly including: a controller for controlling operation of thepluggable transceiver; an RFID memory having stored thereon datadefining a desired programmed and an RFID antenna, the RFID memory andRFID antenna transmitting and receiving the data to an external RFIDreader proximate to the pluggable transceiver housing upon interrogationtherefrom; wherein the controller is configured to read the data storedon an RFID memory, and to operate the pluggable transceiver according toan operating configuration defined by the data. In an embodiment, saidRFID antenna mounted proximate in the aperture and not protruding fromthe housing, the RFID antenna electrically connected to the circuitboard assembly. In an embodiment, the circuit board assembly at leastpartially protrudes from the housing.

According to another aspect, a pluggable transceiver is provided. Thepluggable transceiver includes a housing; and a circuit board assemblyat least partially contained within the housing, the circuit boardassembly including: a controller for controlling operation of thepluggable transceiver; an RFID memory having stored thereon datadefining a desired programmed configuration and an RFID antenna, theRFID memory and RFID antenna transmitting and receiving the data to anexternal RFID reader proximate to the pluggable transceiver housing uponinterrogation therefrom; a passive internal radio signal RFID repeater(“internal RFID repeater”) configured to relay RFID communicationsbetween an external RFID reader and the RFID memory therethrough; andwherein the controller is configured to read the data stored on the RFIDmemory and to operate the pluggable transceiver according to anoperating configuration defined by the data. In an embodiment, said RFIDantenna surface is mounted on the circuit board assembly and containedwithin the housing; said internal RFID repeater is mounted to aninterior of the housing, the internal RFID repeater containing tworepeater RFID antennae, one such repeater RFID antenna mounted proximateto the aperture and not protruding from the housing, the second suchrepeater RFID antenna mounted proximate to said RFID antenna andcontained within the housing; wherein the two repeater RFID antennae areelectrically interconnected and enable RFID communications therethrough.In an embodiment, said RFID antenna surface mounted on the circuit boardassembly and contained within the housing; said internal RFID repeatermounted to an exterior of the housing, the internal RFID repeatercontaining two repeater RFID antennae, one such repeater RFID antennamounted to an exterior of the housing proximate to the aperture, thesecond such repeater RFID antenna mounted through the aperture andcontained at least partially within the housing proximate to said RFIDantenna; wherein the two repeater RFID antennae are interconnected andenable RFID communications therethrough. In an embodiment, the circuitboard assembly at least partially protrudes from the housing.

According to an aspect, an external RFID repeater is provided. Theexternal RFID repeater includes at least one substrate; and a circuitassembly contained within the substrate, the circuit assembly including:a designated area to place an external RFID reader and a designated areato place a pluggable transceiver, each such area containing a repeaterRFID antenna, the first such repeater RFID antenna interfacing with theexternal RFID reader and the second such repeater RFID antennainterfacing with a pluggable transceiver, and an electrical connectionbetween said first and second repeater RFID antennae; wherein the firstand second repeater RFID antennae are interconnected to enable RFIDcommunications between an external RFID reader and an RFID memoryembedded in a pluggable transceiver therethrough. In an embodiment, theexternal RFID repeater includes: an external RFID reader substrate witha designated area containing a repeater RFID antenna configured toconnect to a cable; a pluggable transceiver substrate with a designatedarea containing a repeater RFID antenna configured to connect to acable; an interconnecting cable; wherein the first and second repeaterRFID antennae are interconnected with the cable to enable RFIDcommunications between an external RFID reader and an RFID memorytherethrough. In an embodiment, the coupled antenna structure includes apassive component configured to ensure antenna resonance matching. In anembodiment, the passive component is constructed using the samesubstrate and conductive material of the antenna structures.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver programming system isprovided. The system includes an external RFID reader and a pluggabletransceiver as described above.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver programming system isprovided. The system includes a remote management system or database, anetwork, an external RFID reader and a pluggable transceiver asdescribed above.

According to an aspect, a pluggable transceiver programming system isprovided. The system includes an external RFID reader, an external RFIDrepeater and a pluggable transceiver as described above.

In an embodiment, said smart label includes a radio frequencyidentification RFID tag, said RFID tag adapted store information used toprogram the pluggable transceiver. In an embodiment, said smart label isinstallable on or attachable to the housing, said smart label beingadapted to receive and to transmit the programming information.

In an embodiment, the pluggable transceiver includes an RFID reader andan RFID antenna, said RFID reader being in communication with apluggable transceiver controller and with the smart label.

In an embodiment, the housing includes a designated area to attach orinstall the smart label. In an embodiment, the designated area enablescommunications between the RFID reader and the smart label through thehousing. In an embodiment, the designated area enables communicationsbetween the RFID reader and the smart label within the housing.

In an embodiment, the pluggable transceiver is connected to a host, andduring controller initialization, the controller executes a program,said program invoking the RFID reader to interrogate the smart label,thereby obtaining the programming information and subsequentlyprogramming the pluggable transceiver memory with data and/or programsusing such programming information, and completing the pluggabletransceiver initialization.

In an embodiment, during controller re-initialization, the controllerexecutes a program, said program invoking the RFID reader to interrogatethe smart label, obtain the programming information, and determine notto program the pluggable transceiver memory with data and/or programsusing programming information, and completing the pluggable transceiverinitialization.

In an embodiment, said RFID memory adapted store information used toprogram the pluggable transceiver. In an embodiment, said RFID memoryconfigured with an RFID antenna, said RFID memory and RFID antenna beingadapted to receive and to transmit the programming information.

In an embodiment, the pluggable transceiver includes an RFID memory,said RFID memory being in communication with a pluggable transceivercontroller and external RFID reader.

In an embodiment, the housing includes a designated area to position anexternal RFID reader. In an embodiment, the designated area enablescommunications between the external RFID reader and the RFID memorythrough the housing.

In an embodiment, the external RFID reader being in communication withan RFID memory, the external RFID reader executes a program to write thepluggable transceiver programming information to the RFID memory. In anembodiment, the external RFID reader executes a program to read thepluggable transceiver information stored in the RFID memory, and programthe RFID memory with data and/or programs using said programminginformation and pluggable transceiver information. In an embodiment, thepluggable transceiver information stored in the RFID memory contains atleast identification and or configuration data.

In an embodiment, the pluggable transceiver is connected to a host, andduring controller initialization, the controller executes a program,said program reading the RFID memory, thereby obtaining the programminginformation and subsequently programming the pluggable transceivermemory with data and/or programs using such programming information, andcompleting the pluggable transceiver initialization.

In an embodiment, during controller re-initialization, the controllerexecutes a program, said program reading the RFID memory, obtaining theprogramming information, and determines not to program the pluggabletransceiver memory with data and/or programs using programminginformation, and completing the pluggable transceiver initialization.

In an embodiment, the designated area RF interface includes at least oneaperture.

In an embodiment, the designated area RF interface includes at least twoapertures, each such aperture containing a magnetically permeable core.

In an embodiment, the designated area RF interface includes a dielectricinterface surrounded by shielding material such as to create an openingfor magnetic coupling to enable RFID communications therethrough whilekeeping the electric aperture small to avoid EMI radiation from thatopening in the enclosure. For example, the maximum linear dimension ofthe aperture size can be about 6 mm, and preferably have an area of lessthan 36 mm², and preferably still less than 29 mm².

In an embodiment, the pluggable transceiver includes an internal RFIDrepeater, said internal RFID repeater configured to enable RFIDcommunications between the aperture and the RFID antenna therethrough.

In an embodiment, during the controller initialization, a programprograms the memory using pre-determined programming information storedin memory and/or the program initializes the pluggable transceiver tooperate in a predetermined state when the programming information is notinstalled, unknown, missing, failed, or the pluggable transceiverprogramming information is not valid or has changed or is not compatiblewith the pluggable transceiver. In an embodiment, such programperiodically or on interrupt reads the programming information duringoperation of the pluggable transceiver to determine a status of theprogramming information, and programs the pluggable transceiveraccordingly. In an embodiment, such program erases the programmedconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver when the programminginformation is invalid or changed or missing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the accompanying figures like reference numerals refer to identicalor functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, togetherwith the detailed description below, and are incorporated in and formpart of the specification to further illustrate embodiments of conceptsthat include the claimed invention and explain various principles andadvantages of those embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical pluggable transceiverincorporating a smart label with an RFID tag and an RFID reader,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an optical pluggable transceiverincorporating a protocol processor, an RFID memory and an external RFIDreader, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of an optical pluggable transceiver with anaperture in the housing, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the optical pluggable transceiver of FIG. 3A,with a smart label showing printed information thereon attached to thehousing and covering the aperture;

FIG. 4 is a side cutaway profile view of a pluggable transceiverconfigured with a smart label, according to an embodiment wherein thesmart label includes a raised section on a bottom side of the smartlabel where the tag RFID antenna is located, and the orientation of thesmart label's RFID antenna magnetic axis is in the X-Y plane;

FIG. 5 is a side cutaway profile view of a pluggable transceiverconfigured with a smart label, according to an embodiment wherein thesmart label includes a raised section on a bottom side of the smartlabel where the tag RFID antenna is located, and the orientation of thesmart label's RFID antenna magnetic axis is in the Z plane;

FIG. 6A is a bottom cutaway view of an external RFID reader and RFIDantenna according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a side cutaway profile view of the external RFID reader ofFIG. 6A positioned above the housing and aperture of a pluggabletransceiver, according to an embodiment wherein the RFID antenna ismounted in the aperture and not protruding from the housing;

FIG. 7 is a side cutaway profile view of a pluggable transceiver and anexternal RFID reader according to an embodiment wherein the pluggabletransceiver includes an internal RFID repeater;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an external field-concentrating RFIDrepeater and antenna circuits, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a SFP/QSFP external field-concentratingRFID repeater with a smartphone external RFID reader and an SFPtransceiver, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a side cutaway profile view of a pluggable transceiver and anexternal RFID reader according to an embodiment in which the pluggabletransceiver includes an internal/external field-concentrating RFIDrepeater;

FIG. 11 is a table that describes the SFP+ memory map in accordance withSFF-8472;

FIG. 12 is a table that describes the SFP+ identification memory mapaddresses and data fields in accordance with SFF-8472;

FIG. 13 is a table that describes the SFP+ diagnostic and control/statusmemory map addresses and data fields in accordance with SFF-8472;

FIG. 14 is a table that describes the SFP+ diagnostic and control/statuspage tables memory map addresses and data fields in accordance withSFF-8472; and

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of a pluggable transceiver according to anembodiment, in which the transceiver is programmable via programmingswitches.

Those skilled in the field of the present disclosure will appreciatethat elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarityand have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements to help to improve understanding ofembodiments of the present invention.

The apparatus and method components have been represented whereappropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only thosespecific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments ofthe present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with detailsthat will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the arthaving the benefit of the description herein. The details of well-knownelements, structure, or processes that would be necessary to practicethe embodiments, and that would be well known to those of skill in theart, are not necessarily shown and should be assumed to be presentunless otherwise indicated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to thefigures. It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale andthat elements of similar structures or functions are represented by likereference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted thatthe figures are only intended to facilitate the description of theembodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of theinvention or as a limitation on the scope of the invention. In addition,an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantagesshown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with aparticular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment andcan be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated.

Broadly described, systems and methods for programming networktransceivers, such as pluggable transceivers, are provided. In someembodiments, a system for programming a pluggable transceiver includesmemory that is adapted to store pluggable transceiver programminginformation or data which can be transmitted or received via RFID, andis thus referred to herein as “RFID memory”. Different types of RFIDmemory are described herein, and the RFID memory is configured tointerface with a pluggable transceiver in different ways. In someembodiments, the RFID memory is embedded in an RFID tag (“tag RFIDmemory”) and the RFID tag is bonded to the body of a label (e.g. a barcode label) to form a “smart label”. In such embodiments, a pluggabletransceiver can be configured with a housing adapted with a designatedarea having an RF interface, and this area can be used to attach orinstall the smart label. The pluggable transceiver can be adapted withan RFID reader/writer (i.e. hardware which can transmit and/or receivedata via RFID, hereinafter referred to as an “RFID reader” forsimplicity) in communication with a controller and the smart label. Insome embodiments, the pluggable transceiver can be configured with adual-access RFID memory configured with an RF interface and anelectrical interface, the RFID memory configured as a surface mountedintegrated circuit and installed on the pluggable transceiver printedcircuit board assembly. In such embodiments, the pluggable transceivercan be configured with a housing adapted with a designated area havingan RF interface and used to position an external RFID reader, said RFIDmemory being in communication with a controller and the external RFIDreader.

Preferably, the RFID memory is programmed with RFID data which caninclude programming information or data which define a desired operatingconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver, using an external RFIDreader. In such configurations, the pluggable transceiver controller canread the RFID data from the RFID memory, and program the pluggabletransceiver according to the desired operating configuration using theRFID data read from the RFID memory. The programming information definedby said RFID data can be used by the controller to program the pluggabletransceiver non-volatile memory and/or to operate the pluggabletransceiver. For example, programming information or data defined in theRFID data can consist of at least one of the following:

-   -   MSA and or other standard and or proprietary host interface data        fields and values, for example manufacturer, part number (e.g.        product equipment code), serial number, wavelength, alarm        thresholds, etc. used to configure and or manage the        transceiver;    -   configuration data used to program an ASIC, FPGA, or other IC        configuration registers;    -   controller, processor or programmable logic device programs, for        example initialization, boot, programming, operating or        application programs;    -   network address;    -   memory address pointers that point to memory address locations        within the pluggable transceiver non-volatile memory where the        actual programming information or programmed information is        stored;    -   configuration and installation data used to install programs        such as operating system programs, programmable logic device        programs, application programs, etc.;    -   compatibility data;    -   RFID memory configuration information;    -   programming information version data;    -   licensing data;    -   encryption keys; and    -   password.

A pluggable transceiver having its memory programmed using suchprogramming information or data can be said to be in a programmedconfiguration.

It should be noted that the pluggable transceiver non-volatile memorymay be implemented using at least one memory integrated circuit deviceor memory within a programmable integrated circuit device, for example amicrocontroller, microprocessor, FPGA, etc., or as a memory within anapplication specific integrated circuit device, or a system on a chip(SoC) device, or a combination thereof. It should be also noted that thepluggable transceiver controller may be implemented using at least oneprogrammable integrated circuit device, for example a microcontroller,microprocessor, FPGA, SoC, etc., or as a controller within anapplication specific integrated circuit device, for example a LaserDriver and Limiting Post Amplifier with Digital Diagnostics, or acombination thereof.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, when apluggable transceiver is installed in a host, it is powered up and thepluggable transceiver controller begins an initialization process,wherein a program invokes the controller to read RFID data stored in theRFID memory containing programming information, verify the compatibilityof the pluggable transceiver with such programming information,automatically program the pluggable transceiver memory using theprogramming information when first initialized with such programminginformation, and completes the initialization process rendering thepluggable transceiver in a programmed configuration. For example, onceprogrammed, the pluggable transceiver can be fully operational and readyfor service, and can provide an MSA SFP+ transceiver host interfacememory map containing data fields programmed with data defining aspecific operating configuration. The pluggable transceiver controllercan be further configured to read the RFID memory periodically aftersaid first initialization and to maintain, change, or remove its currentprogrammed configuration based on comparing the data read from the RFIDmemory and its current programmed configuration. For example, when sucha pluggable transceiver is first installed in a host, its memory can beprogrammed using the programming information during the initializationprocess. Once the initialization is completed, the memory can contain aprogrammed configuration and the pluggable transceiver can operateaccording to the programmed configuration. However, in most pluggabletransceivers, the programmed configuration stored in the memory can beat least partially modified or changed by an operator via the host andor network interface, wherein the controller is configured to not changethe programmed configuration upon subsequent controller initializationsand thereby maintaining said host operator changes to the programmedconfiguration. In this sense, embodiments of the pluggable transceiverdescribed herein can be referred to as “self-programming” pluggabletransceivers.

In the present disclosure, the term “pluggable transceiver” can refer toany device, equipment or system having at least a configurabletransmitter and/or receiver, such as a network interface for sendingand/or receiving signals to and from a network. A configuration of thenetwork transmitter and/or receiver can be stored in a non-volatilememory and the transmitter or receiver is configured using a controller.Preferably, the pluggable transceiver provides an interface to connectto at least one host device, equipment or system (hereafter referred toas a “host”). It is appreciated that a pluggable transceiver can connectto a host device via various types of interfaces, including a physicalinterface for physically securing the transceiver in the host and/or acommunications interface for transmitting and/or receiving signals toand from the host. As can be appreciated, a pluggable transceiver is“pluggable” in the sense that it is replaceable and/or is detachablycouplable to a host, for example an MSA SFP+ transceiver can beinstalled in a host communications system SFP+ transceiver interfaceport. By means of non-limiting examples, pluggable transceivers caninclude (among others):

-   -   MSA and MSA compatible transceivers;    -   RJ45 PoE dongles;    -   USB dongles;    -   communications or computer or storage equipment, for example        plug in cards, line cards, equipment and system cases or chassis        or cabinets configured to provide communications or computer or        storage functions such as optical transponders, muxponders,        switches, line amplifiers, etc., and packet routers, switches,        firewalls, gateways, network interface devices, customer premise        equipment, etc., and modems, media converters, multiplexers,        etc., personal computers, mobile wireless devices, etc.;    -   Internet of Things (IoT) or telematics or remote terminal unit        (RTU) or supervisory and control data acquisition (SCADA)        devices and plugin cards and equipment and systems and cabinets,        for example analog I/O controllers, digital I/O controllers,        sensors, etc.; and    -   integrated transceiver technology embedded in a device,        equipment or system and interfaces a printed circuit card        assembly to a fiber optic cable or copper cable or wireless        connection.

A pluggable transceiver and system architecture which includes a levelof intelligence to be downloaded from an RFID memory into a pluggabletransceiver is disclosed hereafter.

FIG. 1 illustrates the block diagram of a pluggable transceiver 10 witha smart label 28, according to an embodiment. In the present embodiment,the pluggable transceiver 10 is an optical pluggable transceiver, but itcan be appreciated that similar structures can apply to other types oftransceivers as well. The pluggable transceiver 10 includes a housing 12containing a printed circuit board assembly 32 (PCBA) on whichcomponents of the pluggable transceiver 10 are connected and supported.The housing 12 is an assembly of parts preferably configured accordingto a standard and/or proprietary mechanical specification, for examplethe metal housing of an MSA compliant SFP+. In the illustratedembodiment, the PCBA 32 at least partially protrudes from the housing 12to connect to a host. It should be noted that as used in thisspecification, the term “housing” is not necessarily limited to a singlepart or a plurality of parts that contains all the components on thePCBA 32, and may refer to one or more parts of the PCBA 32 that definean exterior profile of the pluggable transceiver 10. In otherembodiments, the housing can include metal, plastic, glass, or epoxy,etc., or parts or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the PCBA 32forms the housing 12, for example the housing 12 is the PCBA 32 and thesmart label 28 is mounted to the PCBA 32. In other embodiments, the PCBA32 forms a part of the housing 12, for example the housing 12 configuredas an assembly of a PCBA 32 and a metal faceplate attached to the PCBA32. In an embodiment, the housing 12 configured according to an MSAstandard, for example a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver,or enhanced small form-factor pluggable (SFP+) transceiver, or SFP28, orXFP, or QSFP+, or QSFP28, or CFP, including proprietary “smart SFP”transceivers, etc. In other embodiments, the housing 12 can be astandard or proprietary electronics enclosure, for example a printedcircuit card assembly, or a shelf, cage, case, cabinet, rackmountassembly, etc. In an embodiment, the network interface 14 and hostinterface 20 connectors are connected to or form part of the PCBA 32. Ingeneral, the pluggable transceiver housing 12 preferably provides amechanical structure for the pluggable transceiver 10 and can includeone or more of the following features:

-   -   support and physical protection for the components that it        contains;    -   parts and mechanisms to install it in a host such as connectors,        guides, clips, pins, ejectors, fasteners, etc.;    -   thermal control features such as a heat sink;    -   protect users from safety hazards;    -   shielding to attenuate electro-magnetic emissions radiating from        the pluggable transceiver 10;    -   one or more connectors to connect to a host and or a network;    -   one or more apertures used for example for interface connectors,        accessing test, calibration or fastening points, viewing visual        indicators (e.g. LEDs), thermal control and ventilation, etc.;        and    -   areas on the housing 12 and or PCBA 32 used to attach bar code        and or other labels to identify the pluggable transceiver 10.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the pluggable transceiver 10includes a network interface 14, an optical-electrical converter 16connected to the network interface 14, and a host interface 20 connectedto the optical-electrical converter 16. The network interface 14 isconfigured to connect to an optical device, such as a fiber optic cable.In the present embodiment, the network interface 14 is configured todetachably couple to the optical device, thereby allowing the pluggabletransceiver 10 to be detachably connected to such optical device. Theoptical-electrical converter 16 is configured to convert an opticalcommunication signal received from the network interface 14 into one ormore electrical communication signals. The optical-electrical converter16 is configured to transmit and receive the electrical communicationsignals from the host interface 20. The optical-electrical converter caninclude one or more components such as, for example, a transmitteroptical sub-assembly (TOSA) and a receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA),or a bidirectional optical sub-assembly (BOSA) and optical wavelengthmultiplexer, a laser driver, a receiver amplifier, or a coherent opticaltransmitter and receiver sub-system, etc. In some embodiments, theoptical-electrical converter 16 can be configured with a controller andor a digital signal processor. In some embodiments, theoptical-electrical converter 16 can be configured to transmit statussignals to, and receive control signals from, the host interface 20. Inother embodiments, the pluggable transceiver 10 can be an electricaltransceiver, wherein the optical-electrical converter 16 is replaced byan electrical transceiver and the network interface 14 is configured todetachably connect to an electrical device, such as for example an RJ45cable. In other embodiments, the pluggable transceiver 10 can be awireless transceiver, wherein the optical-electrical converter 16 isreplaced by a wireless transceiver or modem and the network interface 14configured with a wireless network antenna.

Preferably, the network interface 14 is configured according to at leastone standard and/or proprietary specification, for example MSA INF-8074iSFP standard specification or MSA SFF-8472 SFP+ and IEEE 802.3z GigabitEthernet standard specifications. Consequently, pluggable transceivers10 can support a plurality of network interface 14 transmissionprotocols, formats, wavelengths, frequencies, rates, distances and mediatypes, for example protocols such as Gigabit Ethernet, SONET/SDH, OTN,PON, CWDM, DWDM, Fiber Channel, etc. optical protocols, or 1000Base-TEthernet or PoE, T1/E1/T3/E3, xDSL, Gfast, USB, etc. electricalprotocols, or Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth, Zigbee, RFID, NFC, etc. wirelessprotocols, and transmission bit rates, such as 10/100/1000 MbpsEthernet, 1 GE, 10 GE, 100 GE, OC192 SONET, STM-64 SDH, 100G OTN/DWDM,10G Fiber Channel, 200G Coherent DWDM, etc. In an embodiment, theoptical-electrical converter 16 is configurable, wherein theoptical-electrical converter 16 is configured according to a specifiednetwork interface 14 using a controller. In another embodiment, thepluggable transceiver 10 network interface 14 can be configured with atleast one pluggable transceiver interface port (e.g. an MSA SFP cageassembly and host interface connector on a proprietary Ethernet switchline card), wherein each such port configured receive a pluggabletransceiver 10 (e.g. an MSA SFP+ transceiver).

In the present embodiment, the host interface 20 is configured toconnect to a host pluggable transceiver interface. During normaloperation, the host interface 20 is connected to the host and isconfigured to receive and transmit signals from said host. It isappreciated, however, that in other embodiments, the host interface 20can simply support and/or physically engage the transceiver in the host,without necessarily allowing for the communication of signals with thehost. Preferably, the host interface 20 is configured to detachablyconnect to a pluggable transceiver interface (e.g. a port) provided by ahost thereby allowing the pluggable transceiver 10 to be detachablyconnected to such host. The host interface 20 can include a plurality ofinterfaces used to operate the pluggable transceiver such as for examplefor communications, management, power and mechanical interfaces.Preferably, the host interface 20 is configured to transmit and receivesignals from a host according to at least one standard specification,for example the host interface 20 of a Gigabit Ethernet 1000Base-LX MSASFP+ transceiver can be configured to connect to a 1000BASE-X SFP port(e.g. specified for a group of Ethernet physical layer standards withinthe IEEE 802.3.z standard) on an Ethernet switch. In other embodiments,the host interface 20 can be a proprietary interface.

In the present embodiment, the management interface is configured withan I²C EEPROM communications interface, for example used to configureand manage the pluggable transceiver memory 24. In other embodiments themanagement interface can be configured with a Management DataInput/Output (MDIO) or Serial Management Interface (SMI) or MediaIndependent Interface Management (MIIM) communications interface. In anembodiment, the management interface can be configured with an Ethernetcommunications interface, used to configure and manage the pluggabletransceiver 10, and/or an IP communications interface.

Preferably, the management interface management information is definedby a standard or specification, such as an MSA standard. In the presentembodiment, the identification and configuration data provided by thehost interface 20 is at least partially stored in the memory 24. Forexample, the MSA SFP pluggable transceiver management interfacemanagement information can be specified in INF-8074i. In anotherexample, the MSA SFP+ pluggable transceiver information can be specifiedin SFF-8472, wherein the MSA defines the management interface includingthe readable and writable digital diagnostic monitoring interface (DDMI)fields provided by the host interface 20. In another example, a host canread the pluggable transceiver 10 identification and configurationinformation such as the manufacturer, part number, serial number,wavelength, type, range, etc. including diagnostic and statusinformation such as the transmit and receiver power, internal voltagesand temperatures alarm and warning conditions, etc. via the hostinterface 20, and write pluggable transceiver configuration informationsuch as alarm and warning threshold settings, enabling/disabling theoptical transmitter, passwords for programming the memory 24, etc. viathe host interface 20. Other detachable host interface 20 examplesinclude PoE, USB, SCTE XFP-RF, SMPTE SDI, PCI, PICMG, SGPIO, VMEBus,ATCA, etc. interfaces, and Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth, NFC, Zigbee, etc.wireless interfaces.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pluggable transceiver 10 receivescommunications signals, management signals, and DC power from the hostinterface 20 PCBA edge connector. In other embodiments, the hostinterface 20 can include a plurality of optical and or electricalconnectors and or antenna, for communications, management. powerconnectors, etc. For example, the pluggable transceiver 10 can receivePoE power from the host interface 20. In another embodiment, thepluggable transceiver 10 can include an AC/DC power converter andreceive AC power from a host interface 20. In another embodiment, thepluggable transceiver 10 can receive DC power from a battery. In otherembodiments, the host interface 20 can be a pluggable transceiverinterface (e.g. a standard MSA SFP cage assembly with host interfaceconnector).

In the illustrated embodiment, the pluggable transceiver 10 includes acontroller 22, for example a microcontroller, microprocessor, etc., thecontroller 22 being configured to interface with the host interface 20and the memory 24 and the optical-electrical converter 16, wherein thecontroller 22 is adapted to operate the pluggable transceiver 10. Thememory 24 is configured to store pluggable transceiver information, theinformation defining a programmed configuration. In the presentembodiment, the controller 22 executes a program to operate thepluggable transceiver 10, for example a program that programs,configures, and/or manages the pluggable transceiver 10 ICs, functions,and/or interfaces. The controller 22 can execute a plurality of programssuch as, for example, an initialization or boot program, operatingsystem program, application program, etc. Preferably, the memory 24 isnon-volatile, for example an electronically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM). By means of non-limiting examples, the memory24 can be configured to store a plurality of programs and or data; forexample, controller initialization/boot, operating system, applicationprograms and programmable logic device programs, and for examplestandard MSA host interface 20 memory mapped data fields and values, andfor example IC configuration data. In the present embodiment, theinformation stored in memory 24 includes host interface 20 managementinformation defined in an MSA, for example identification, diagnostic,control and status information used by a host to manage the pluggabletransceiver 10. In an embodiment, the information stored in memory 24can include proprietary host interface 20 management information definedin a proprietary specification, for example Ethernet MAC or IP addressinformation used by a host to manage the pluggable transceiver 10. In anembodiment, the information stored in memory 24 can include data used toconfigure the pluggable transceiver 10 ICs, for example theoptical-electrical converter 16 laser driver. In an embodiment, theinformation stored in memory 24 can include a controller 22 program usedto operate the pluggable transceiver 10. In the present embodiment, thememory 24 is communicatively connected to the host interface 20 via thecontroller 22. For example, when the pluggable transceiver 10 isconnected to a host, the memory 24 is communicatively connected to saidhost, wherein a controller in the host is configured to read and writedata to the memory 24 via the host interface 20 to configure and managethe pluggable transceiver 10. The host can be configured to program thememory 24 in whole or in part with programs and or data usingproprietary methods. In an embodiment, read only memory locations ordata fields in the memory 24 can be password protected, with the hostwriting a password to one or more host interface 20 address locations ordata fields prior to writing data to the memory 24 via the hostinterface 20. In other embodiments, the memory 24 can be directlyconnected to the host interface 20.

The memory 24 is typically programmed during the pluggable transceivermanufacturing process, wherein proprietary programming methods are usedto program the memory 24 with programs and/or data. For example, suchdata can consist of an MSA SFP+ identification/configuration fields andvalues stored in memory 24 for host interface memory map locations inA0h, and diagnostic and control/status fields and values stored inmemory 24 for host interface memory map locations A2h. In someembodiments, at least some of the memory 24 can be programmed via thehost interface 20, for example when the pluggable transceiver 10 isinstalled in a host during installation, commissioning, provisioning,operational or maintenance activities, an operator using an interface onthe host writes data via the host interface 20 to writeable data fieldswherein said data is stored in the memory 24. For example, a host devicecan write diagnostic alarm and warning threshold data to the memory 24via the host interface 20 writeable data fields in memory map locationsA2h. In some embodiments, the memory 24 configured to be programmed viathe host interface 20 using proprietary programming systems or programs.

Pluggable transceivers are not limited to the configuration described,and the pluggable transceiver 10 may have other configurations and ormay include additional components such as for example a protocolprocessor. The block diagram shown in FIG. 2 illustrates an opticalpluggable transceiver 10 according to embodiments wherein the pluggabletransceiver 10 includes a protocol processor 18 configured to processcommunications signals, for example packets and/or frames orcombinations thereof. The protocol processor 18 is configured to connectto the optical-electrical converter 16 and to the host interface 20 andto the controller 22, wherein the controller 22 is configured to executeat least one program to configure and manage the protocol processor 18,for example programs to program, configure and/or manage the protocolprocessor 18. The protocol processor 18 is configured to receivesignals, packets and/or frames from the optical-electrical converter 16,process the signals, packets and/or frames to provide a networkfunction, and transmit them to the host interface 20 and vice versa. Theoptical-electrical converter 16 is configured to convert the electricalcommunications signals received from the protocol processor 18 to one ormore optical communication signals and transmit the opticalcommunication signals to the network interface 14. In some embodiments,the memory 24 can be communicatively connected to the host interface 14via the protocol processor 18 and the controller 22. In someembodiments, the memory 24 can be communicatively connected to thenetwork interface 14 via the protocol processor 18 and controller 22. Insome embodiments, the memory 24 can be programmed or configured by aremote management system via a network, wherein such network isconnected to the host interface 20 via a host and or to the networkinterface 14 via a cable.

In some embodiments, the protocol processor 18 can be implemented usingone or more integrated circuits such as, for example, a microprocessor,network processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), SoC,etc. Programmable devices (e.g. an FPGA) and/or memory can typically beprogramed at least partially during and after manufacturing. In someembodiments, the pluggable transceiver 10 can include a plurality ofdifferent protocol processors 18, for example the pluggable transceiver10 can provide a T1 to packet gateway network function using a pluralityof different protocol processors 18 configured to receive and processthe T1 signals and frames, perform T1 to pseudowire mapping and MPLSpacket encapsulation, and Ethernet packet encapsulation andtransmission. In an embodiment, the protocol processor 18 can beconfigured to provide at least one network and/or management function,for example media conversion, rate adaption, network interface, networkdemarcation, network security, protocol gateway, service assurance,network testing, packet OAM, policing and marking, shaping, SLAperformance monitoring, statistics collection, header manipulation,classification, filtering, bridging, switching, routing, aggregation,in-band management, etc. In some embodiments, the protocol processor 18can include memory, such as for example random access memory (RAM)configured for storing packets and or processing information to analyzepackets and or frames, etc., and non-volatile memory used to program aprogrammable logic device (e.g. an FPGA). In some embodiments, theprotocol processor 18 can include a controller. In the presentembodiment, at least one protocol processor 18 program is stored in thememory 24, and the program can be used by the controller 22 to program,configure, and/or to manage the protocol processor 18. In the presentembodiment, the memory 24 is configured to store protocol processor 18data such as for example identification, configuration, diagnostics,control and status data and or proprietary data.

The protocol processor 18 is preferably configured to provide aplurality of network functions and interface configurations, and thememory 24 is used by the host to program, configure and manage theprotocol processor 18 to provide said network functions and interfaces.For example, an SFP pluggable transceiver 10 with a protocol processor18 can be configured to provide T1 packet gateway functions, and thehost interface 20 can be configured to provide read/write access toidentification and configuration data, with such data being stored inmemory 24. In an embodiment, the host interface 20 used to read/writethe memory 24 can be proprietary, for example an extension ormodification of a standard MSA SFP host interface 20 memory map and datafield definitions. In an embodiment, the network interface 14 managementinterface used to read/write the memory 24 is proprietary, for example aWeb GUI. In an embodiment, programming the memory 24 with programs forthe controller 22 and protocol processor 18 and or with data istypically performed during the pluggable transceiver 10 manufacturingprocess using proprietary programming systems. For example, such datacan consist of MSA SFP+ identification fields and values stored inmemory 24 for host interface 20 memory map locations starting at A0h,and diagnostic and control/status data fields and values stored inmemory 24 for host interface 20 memory map locations starting at A2h,and proprietary protocol processor 18 diagnostic, control and statusdata fields and values stored in memory 24 for host interface 20 memorymap locations starting at A0h address 0x80h. In other embodiments, thememory 24 can be programmed using proprietary programming systemsconnected to the host interface 20. In other embodiments, the memory 24can be at least partially programmed by a remote management systemconnected via a network to the host interface 20 and/or to the networkinterface 14, the host interface 20 and/or network interface 14configured with a communication interface, for example Ethernet and IPinterfaces, and with a corresponding management interface, for exampleSNMP, Web GUI (e.g. HTML/HTTP), CLI, etc.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the pluggable transceiver 10 isconfigured with an RFID reader 30 and RFID antenna 38 in communicationwith a smart label 28. The RFID reader 30 is in communication with thecontroller 22, and the controller 22 is configured to invoke the RFIDreader 30 to read RFID data stored in the smart label 28 containingprogramming information or data. Preferably, the smart label 28comprises an RFID device, such as at least one RFID tag, for example aspecially configured integrated circuit (IC) configured with an RFIDmemory and connected to an RFID antenna. The smart label 28 isconfigured to attach to the housing 12, although it is appreciated thatin other embodiments, the smart label 28 can be configured to attach tothe PCBA 32. In the present embodiment, the smart label 28 includesprinted information such as, for example, a product equipment code,serial number, and barcode, etc. The smart label 28 RFID memory can beconfigured with different types of memory, for example; reserved memory,Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory, tag ID (TID) memory, and usermemory. For example, the reserved memory can store a kill password andan access password, the kill password permanently disables the tag andthe access password locks and unlocks the RFID tag's write capabilities;the EPC memory can store the EPC information having a minimum of 96 bitsof writable memory that can be used as a universal identifier giving aunique identity to a specific physical object and is typically used inmany asset tracking applications; TID memory can be used to store aunique tag ID number programmed by the tag manufacturer and typicallycannot be changed. User memory can store user writeable information. Insome embodiments, the controller 22 can be configured to invoke the RFIDreader 30 to write data to the smart label 28. In other embodiments, theRFID reader 30 can be in communication with a host via the hostinterface 20, said host configured to invoke the RFID reader 30 to readdata stored in the smart label 28.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the pluggable transceiver 10 isconfigured with an RFID memory 36 and RFID antenna 39 in communicationwith an external RFID reader 40. The external RFID reader 40 isconfigured to read and write data to the RFID memory 36, and the RFIDmemory 36 is connected to the controller 22. The controller 22 isconfigured to read and write data to the RFID memory 36. In theillustrated embodiment, the RFID memory 36 is a dual-access RFID memoryconfigured with an RF interface and an electrical interface, for examplea specially configured integrated circuit (IC) with a passive RFIDmemory that can be read by an external RFID reader 40 using an RFinterface, and can also be read by a controller 22 using an EEPROMelectrical interface. Preferably, the RFID memory 36 is configured toattach to the PCBA 32, for example the RFID memory 36 can be a surfacemounted IC. In an embodiment, the RFID memory 36 can be configured withdifferent types of files or memory, for example: system file, capabilityfile, and NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) file. For example, the systemfile can be a proprietary password protected file containing the RFIDmemory 36 device configuration information; the capability file can be aread only file and provides information about the RFID memory 36 memorystructure, size version, and the NDEF file control; the NDEF file can bedefined by the NFC Forum for use in NDEF tags, the NDEF file can bepassword protected and used to store user writeable information andincludes a messaging protocol. In some embodiments, the RFID memory 36can be in communication with the host via the host interface 20, saidhost configured to read or write data to the RFID memory 36. In someembodiments, the RFID memory 36 can be integrated with the memory 24.

Typical RFID memory sizes can range up to 2K bits, with some deviceproviding up to 64K bits of memory or more. In the present embodiment,the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36 are configured to store RFID data,said RFID data comprising data defining a desired programmedconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver (i.e. pluggable transceiverprogramming information or data), wherein the RFID data is read from thesmart label 28 or RFID memory 36 by the controller 22 and used toprogram the memory 24 according to the desired operating configurationdefined by the data. In an embodiment, the programming informationstored in the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36 is at least partiallyencrypted and can only be decoded by the controller 22 or an externalRFID reader 40 configured to do so. Alternatively, the programminginformation stored in the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36 can bepassword protected. In an embodiment, the programming information storedin the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36 is encoded with errorcorrecting codes that can be decoded by the controller 22 or an externalRFID reader 40 configured to do so.

As can be appreciated, the programming information stored in the smartlabel 28 tag RFID memory or RFID memory 36 can include at least one ofthe following programs and/or data, among others:

-   -   host interface 20 data defined in an MSA specification, for        example identification, diagnostic, control and status data;    -   host interface 20 data defined in other standard specification,        for example identification, diagnostic, control and status data;    -   host interface 20 data defined in a proprietary specification,        for example protocol processor identification, MAC and IP        addresses, diagnostic, configuration and status data;    -   data to configure the pluggable transceiver 10 ICs, for example        data to configure an optical-electrical converter 16 receiver        and laser driver or an Ethernet electrical transceiver;    -   data to configure the controller 22 and or protocol processor 18        program parameters, for example data to configure programs        executing on the controller 22 or protocol processor 18;    -   one or more controller 22 programs used to operate the pluggable        transceiver 10; and    -   one or more protocol processor 18 programs used to operate the        pluggable transceiver 10.

In the illustrated embodiments, the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36are each configured with a radio frequency interface for transmittingand receiving RF signals in the high frequency (“HF”) RFID range, forexample 13.56 MHz. The smart label 28 is configured to communicate withthe RFID reader 30 using an RFID communications protocol, for exampleISO 15693. The RFID memory 36 is configured to communicate with anexternal RFID reader 40 using an RFID communications protocol, forexample ISO 14443 Type A and NFC Forum Type 4 Tag. In other embodiments,the smart label 28 and RFID memory 36 can transmit and receive RFsignals in another frequency range such as for example the UHF frequencyrange. In other embodiments, the RFID memory 36 and smart label 28 canbe configured to communicate using other RFID communications protocolsuch as for example ISO/IEC 18092, ECP global Gen2 (i.e. ISO 18000-6C),Bluetooth, etc.

Exemplary isometric and top views of a pluggable transceiver 10 areillustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In the illustrated embodiment, thepluggable transceiver 10 is provided with a housing 12 configured with adesignated area on an exterior surface of the housing 12. The designatedarea is used to attach the smart label 28 or used to position anexternal RFID reader 40. For example, the area can be an outlinedsection on an exterior surface of the housing indicating the RFinterface, or a section on the exterior surface of the housing sized andshaped to receive the smart label 28 such as a recess, or an outlinedsection on the surface of the PCBA 32 indicating the RF interface, etc.In the present embodiment, the area includes at least one aperture 26defined in the housing 12, said aperture 26 being configured to enableRFID communications therethrough, for example to allow RFID signals totravel between an RFID device (such as a smart label or external RFIDreader) on an exterior of the housing 12 and an RFID antenna locatedinside the housing 12. As can be appreciated, in this configuration, theaperture 26 can provide an RF interface for the smart label 28 and/or toan external RFID reader 40. In some embodiments, the designated area canbe located on the PCBA 32 and can provide an RF interface for the smartlabel 28, with said area configured to enable RFID communicationstherefrom with the RFID antenna 38 and RFID reader 30. In someembodiments, the designated area can be located on the PCBA 32 andprovides an RF interface for the external RFID reader 40, said areabeing configured to enable RFID communications therefrom with the RFIDantenna 39 and RFID memory 36. In the present embodiment, the RFinterface includes at least one dielectric interface preferablysurrounded by an electromagnetically shielding material such as tocreate a path for RFID communications between an interior and anexterior of the housing 12. Preferably, the dielectric interface issized and configured to attenuate and/or block unintendedelectro-magnetic waves passing through the interface. In the presentembodiment, the dielectric interface comprises air, and is defined byaperture 26 formed in sidewalls of the housing 12. In thisconfiguration, the shielding material surrounding the dielectricinterface is the metal forming housing. As can be appreciated, aperture26 can be sized according to the wavelength of RFID waves used forcommunication, to effectively act as a filter for allowing the passageof desired wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. For example, themaximum linear dimension of the aperture can be approximately 6 mm insize, and preferably have an area of less than 29 mm². Preferably still,aperture 26 is sized to attenuate unwanted signals from passing through,for example by approximately 60 dB or more at 10 GHz. It is appreciatedthat other dielectric interfaces are also possible. For example, thedielectric interface can comprise plastic which covers aperture 26. Inother embodiments, two or more apertures 26 can be provided, eachcontaining a magnetically permeable terminal such as for example aferrite that together provide an RF interface. As shown in FIG. 3B, whena smart label 28 is affixed to housing 12, the smart label 28 cancompletely cover aperture 26. In the present embodiment, the smart label28 includes a body 28 having a top surface, the top surface containingprinted information such as for example a product code, serial number,and a barcode. In another embodiment, the smart label 28 can include anelectro-magnetic (EM) substrate and adhesive to attenuateelectro-magnetic emissions radiating from the aperture 26 when thepluggable transceiver 10 is installed and operating in a host.

In more detail now, and with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the smartlabel 28 includes: a body 28 having a bottom surface; a fasteningmechanism for fastening the smart label 28 bottom surface to thepluggable transceiver 10; and an RFID tag secured to the body 28, theRFID tag including a substrate 50 on which a tag RFID memory 55 and atag RFID antenna 60 are connected and/or supported. The tag RFID memory55 has stored thereon data defining a desired programmed configuration(i.e. programming information), the tag RFID memory 55 and RFID antenna60 being configured to transmit data to an RFID reader 30 located withinthe pluggable transceiver 10 upon interrogation therefrom. In theillustrated embodiment, the aperture 26 is sized to receive a tag RFIDantenna 60 at least partially therethrough.

In the illustrated embodiments, the fastening mechanism comprises anadhesive provided on the bottom surface of the smart label 28 body. Inthe illustrated embodiments, the smart label 28 includes anelectro-magnetic (EM) substrate 65 to attenuate electro-magneticemissions radiating from the aperture 26. Preferably, the EM substrate65 is secured to the smart label body 28 and to the RFID tag substrate50, and the EM substrate 65 preferably comprises an electromagneticallyshielding material, such as a conductive adhesive provided on the bottomsurface to attach the smart label 28 to the pluggable transceiver 10.For example, the smart label 28 can include an EM substrate configuredwith electrically conductive material such as an aluminum or copper foilor tape, or magnetically permeable material such as a ferrite sheet ortape and such EM substrate attenuates electromagnetic emissionsradiating through the aperture 26. It should be noted that in someembodiments, the smart label does not necessarily include an EMsubstrate 65.

In the illustrated embodiments, the smart label 28 is configured with araised area on an underside thereof, the raised area including the RFIDantenna 60. The raised area is configured (i.e. sized and positioned) toat least partially protrude through the aperture 26 and inside thehousing 12 when the smart label 28 is attached to the housing 12. Withthe smart label 28 attached to the housing 12, the tag RFID antenna 60and the RFID antenna 38 are preferably aligned and proximate to eachother within the read range. For example, the distance between the tagRFID antenna 60 and an RFID antenna 38 is preferably in a range (“readrange”) from touching to 5 mm. In some embodiments, the smart label 28can be configured with the tag RFID antenna 60 and tag RFID memory 55contained within the body of the smart label 28, and they do notprotrude from the top or bottom surface of the body.

Preferably, the tag RFID antenna 60 and/or the RFID antenna 38 areconfigured to provide optimal magnetic field coupling, for example byselecting an appropriate design, type, magnetic orientation and/oralignment of the antennas. As can be appreciated, such a configurationcan enable reliable RFID communications between the tag RFID memory 55and the RFID reader 30 within the read range. In the present embodiment,the tag RFID antenna 60 and the RFID antenna 38 are configured forresonant inductive coupling. For example, said resonant inductivecoupling can enable the near field wireless transmission of electricalenergy between magnetically coupled coils, for example coils containedin the tag RFID antenna 60 and the RFID antenna 38, each antennaincluding a resonant circuit tuned to resonate at the RFID transmitterfrequency. With reference to the illustrated embodiments, the PCBA 32component surface lies on a plane defined as the X-Y plane, and the Zplane is defined as perpendicular to the X-Y plane.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the tag RFID antenna 60 isconfigured as a coil and located within the read range proximate to theRFID antenna 38, the RFID antenna 38 is configured as a coil surfacemounted to the PCBA, the orientation of tag RFID antenna 60 and RFIDantenna 38 magnetic axes in the X-Y plane and preferably aligned, thetag RFID antenna 60 preferably centered above the RFID antenna 38. Inthe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the tag RFID antenna 60 isconfigured as an inductor coil and located within the read rangeproximate to the RFID antenna 38, the RFID antenna 38 configured as acoil surface mounted to the PCBA, the orientation of tag RFID antenna 60magnetic axis in the Z plane, the orientation of RFID antenna 38magnetic axis in the X-Y plane, the tag RFID antenna 60 preferablypartially off-set from centered above the RFID antenna 38. In theillustrated embodiments, the magnetic field 415 couples tag RFID antenna60 and RFID antenna 38.

In some embodiments, the orientation of RFID antenna 38 magnetic axescan be the Z plane. In some embodiments, the tag RFID antenna 60 and theRFID antenna 38 can be configured as an inductor coil having a ceramicor ferrite core material. In other embodiments, the tag RFID antenna 60and/or the RFID antenna 38 can be configured with other coil structures,such as spiral or loop or coil shaped structures embedded, printed oretched on a solid or flexible substrate or PCBA, for example RFIDantenna 38 can be a printed spiral coil on PCBA 32 located proximate thehost interface 20 edge connector.

Preferably, the smart label 28 is attached to a designated area (i.e.the RF interface) on a PCBA 32 within the read range proximate to theRFID antenna 38, the tag RFID antenna 60 configured as a coil, the RFIDantenna 38 configured as a spiral or loop or coil shaped structureprinted or etched on the surface of the PCBA 32 and at least partiallycontained by the designated area, the orientation of tag RFID antenna 60and RFID antenna 38 magnetic axes in the Z plane, the tag RFID antenna60 preferably centered above RFID antenna 38.

It should be noted that in other embodiments, the tag RFID antenna 60and or the RFID antenna 38 may have other orientations and orconfigurations, for example other antenna types, operating frequencyand/or coupling technology, such as using UHF based RF technology. Inother embodiments, the tag RFID antenna 60 and/or the RFID antenna 38coil sizes can be increased to increase the read range. As can beappreciated, the magnetic coupling can depend to a large extent on therelative sizes of the coils at the transmitter and receiver.

Although FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate pluggable transceivers programmablevia smart labels, it is appreciated that pluggable transceivers can alsobe programmed via other RFID devices, such as via an external RFIDreader 40, for example as illustrated in the embodiments of FIG. 6, FIG.7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10. In the illustrated embodiments, theexternal RFID reader 40 can include a memory having stored thereon datadefining a desired programmed configuration, with the external RFIDreader 40 being configured to transmit data to the RFID memory 36. Theexternal RFID reader can also include a controller for controllingoperation of the external RFID reader 40, with the controller beingconfigured to write the data to an RFID memory 36 located proximate tothe external RFID reader 40. In an embodiment, the external RFID reader40 is configured to read data from said RFID memory 36 and store thedata in its memory, the external RFID reader 40 being configured totransmit and receive pluggable transceiver data from a remote managementsystem or database via a network. It should be noted that the externalRFID reader 40 may be any device configured with an appropriate RFIDinterface for reading and/or writing to an RFID device, such as an RFIDantenna. For example, the RFID reader 40 can be a smartphone device.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the external RFID reader 40 isconfigured with a reader RFID antenna 400 which can be positioned abovethe housing 12 aperture 26 (e.g. positioned over the RF interface),preferably such that the reader RFID antenna 400 traces 410 and the RFIDantenna 39 are aligned and proximate to each other within the readrange. For example, the distance between the reader RFID antenna 400 andthe RFID antenna 39 is preferably in a range from touching to 3 mm. TheRFID memory 36 is adapted to store thereon data defining a desiredprogrammed configuration, the RFID memory 36 and RFID antenna 39configured to receive the data from the external RFID reader 40 uponinterrogation therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture 26is sized to receive the RFID antenna 39 at least partially therein, theRFID antenna 39 not protruding from the housing 12 exterior surface. Inanother embodiment, the aperture 26 can be sized to receive the RFIDantenna 39, the RFID antenna 39 at least partially protruding from thehousing 12 exterior surface. In another embodiment, the RFID antenna 39can be detachably connected to the PCBA, the RFID antenna 39 at leastpartially protruding from the housing 12 exterior surface, for examplethe RFID antenna can be mounted on a connector and the connectortemporarily installed on the MSA host interface edge connector on thePCBA 32 during programming. In an embodiment, the RFID memory 36 andRFID antenna 39 can be configured to transmit pluggable transceiver 10information data to the external RFID reader 40 upon interrogationtherefrom.

Preferably, the design, type, magnetic orientation and/or alignment ofthe reader RFID antenna 400 and the RFID antenna 39 are selected toprovide an optimal magnetic field coupling between the reader RFIDantenna 400 and the RFID antenna 39, wherein such coupling enablesreliable RFID communications between the external RFID reader 40 and theRFID memory 36 within the read range. In the present embodiment, theRFID antenna 39 is configured for resonant inductive coupling. FIG. 6illustrates the coupling mechanism between the reader RFID antenna 400and RFID antenna 39 according to an embodiment, said coupling mechanismalso used in the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, andFIG. 10, wherein the reader RFID antenna 400 and RFID antenna 39 arecoupled via the magnetic field 415 generated by a RFID transceiverfeeding port 405 or a primary RFID antenna feeding port 405 of the RFIDantenna 400. Said coupling mechanism is structured to maximize the fielddirectly under the conductive traces excited by the alternating currentof the antenna wire or trace 410. This near-field coupling approach canallow the communication to cross through the metallic barrier (e.g.housing) via the slot aperture 26. Traces 410 may be made thinner ordenser near the aperture 26 such as to improve the field intensity.Elsewhere in the planar loop the conductive traces may be kept widersuch as to reduce the resistive losses in the antenna traces 410 in theoverall loop. It should be noted that multiple variants of the resonantstructure are possible depending on the location of aperture 26, inaddition, the proposed configurations are representative illustrationsof the coupling mechanism. As can be appreciated, although aperture 26is illustrated as being provided on sidewalls of housing 12, theaperture can be located elsewhere, such as on a face plate of thepluggable transceiver 10. Similarly, although RFID antenna 39 is shownas being positioned proximate to sidewalls of housing 12, it isappreciated that antenna 39 can be positioned elsewhere, such asproximate to a face plate of the pluggable transceiver 10 and/orprotruding from faceplate.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the external RFID reader 40RFID antenna 400 is configured as a coil, the RFID antenna 39 isconfigured as a coil mounted proximate in the aperture and notprotruding from the housing 12 exterior surface, the RFID antenna 39 iselectrically connected to the PCBA 32, the orientation of external RFIDreader 40 is preferably in the X-Y plane, the orientation of RFIDantenna's 39 magnetic axis is in the X-Y plane, and the reader RFIDantenna 400 wires 410 are preferably centered above RFID antenna 39. Itshould be noted that practical considerations may affect the preferredalignment and proximity of the antennae, and an externalfield-concentrating RFID repeater can be used to facilitate properalignment to enable reliable communications between the external RFIDreader 40 and the RFID antenna 39, for example using the external RFIDrepeater shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. In an embodiment, the RFID antenna39 is configured as an inductor coil having a ceramic or ferrite corematerial. In other embodiments, the RFID antenna 39 can be configuredwith other coil structures, for example spiral or loop or coil shapedstructures embedded, printed or etched on a solid or flexible substrateor PCBA, or an inductor coil mounted on a cable or on extended metalleads, and connected to the PCBA 32. It should be noted that in otherembodiments, the RFID antenna 39 can have other orientations and orconfigurations, for example another antenna type, operating frequencyand/or coupling mechanism such as a UHF RF antenna. In otherembodiments, the tag RFID antenna 60 and or the RFID antenna 38 coilsizes can be increased to increase the read range.

In some embodiments, an electro-magnetic (EM) substrate 65 can beattached to the housing 12 after programming the RFID memory 36,preferably completely covering aperture 26, to attenuateelectro-magnetic emissions radiating through the aperture 26, forexample to attenuate EM emissions occurring when the pluggabletransceiver 10 is installed and operating in a host. The EM substrate 65can include a conductive adhesive provided on the bottom surface toattach the EM substrate 65 to the pluggable transceiver 10. For example,the EM substrate can be configured with electrically conductive materialsuch as an aluminum or copper foil or tape, or magnetically permeablematerial such as a ferrite sheet or tape. As can be appreciated, such EMsubstrate can attenuate electromagnetic emissions radiating through theaperture 26. It should be noted that such EM substrate 65 could beimplemented using a smart label 28 as described above, or as a regularlabel which simply comprises an EM substrate without an RFID tag (e.g.with or without printed information).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, an internal RFID repeater 70 isused to passively relay RFID communications between the external RFIDreader 40 and the RFID memory 36. The internal RFID repeater 70 ismounted to an interior of the housing 12 or PCBA 32 and includes: afirst internal RFID antenna 39; a second internal RFID repeater antenna90; and an electrical interconnection 95 between said first and secondinternal repeater antennae to enable RFID communications therethrough.The external RFID reader 40 antenna wires 410 are preferably positionedwithin the read range proximate to the internal repeater RFID antenna39, the internal repeater RFID antenna 39 being configured as a coilmounted proximate in the aperture and not protruding from the housing 12exterior surface, and the second internal repeater RFID antenna 90 beingconfigured as a coil positioned proximate to the RFID antenna 38 withinthe read range. Preferably, the two internal repeater RFID antennaecoils are interconnected with an electrical interconnection 95 to enableRFID communications between the external RFID reader 40 and the RFIDantenna 38 therethrough. The RFID antenna 38 can be surface-mounted andelectrically connected to the PCBA 32. The orientation of external RFIDreader 40 is preferably in the X-Y plane, the orientation of theinternal repeater RFID antenna 39 and the internal repeater RFID antenna90 and the RFID antenna 38 magnetic axes are preferably in the X-Y planeand aligned, the external RFID reader 40 antenna wires 410 arepreferably centered above proximate to the internal repeater RFIDantenna 39, and the internal repeater RFID antenna 90 are preferablycentered above proximate to the RFID antenna 38. In the illustratedembodiment, the magnetic field 415 couples the external RFID reader 40antenna wires 410 and internal repeater RFID antenna 39, and themagnetic field 416 couples the internal repeater RFID antenna 90 and theRFID antenna 38. It should be noted that practical considerations mayaffect the preferred alignment and proximity of the antennae, and anexternal field concentrating RFID repeater can be used to facilitateproper alignment. In an embodiment, the internal repeater RFID antenna39 coil and internal repeater RFID antenna 90 coil are electricallyconnected to each other using an electrical interconnection 95, forexample the electrical interconnection can be electrical circuitsprinted or etched on a flexible substrate or on a PCBA, or a cableassembly, etc. In an embodiment, the internal repeater RFID antenna 39,internal repeater RFID antenna 90 and the RFID antenna 38 are configuredas an inductor coil having a ceramic or ferrite core material. In otherembodiments, the RFID antenna 38, internal repeater RFID antenna 39 andinternal repeater RFID antenna 90 can be configured with other coilstructures, for example spiral or loop or coil shaped structuresembedded, printed or etched on a solid or flexible substrate or on aPCBA. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the RFID antenna 38,internal repeater RFID antenna 39 and internal repeater RFID antenna 90may have other orientations and/or configurations, for example anotherantenna type, operating frequency and/or coupling technology such as aUHF RF antenna. In other embodiments, the internal repeater RFID antenna39, internal repeater RFID antenna 90 and the RFID antenna 38 coil sizescan be increased to increase the read range. In an embodiment, theinternal RFID repeater 70 can include a passive component configured toensure antenna resonance matching. In an embodiment, the passivecomponent is constructed using the same substrate and conductivematerial of the antenna structures. A person of reasonable skill in theart will understand that the coupled antennas can be used to re-directand realign the external magnetic fields of the RFID communications pathto the internal antenna of the pluggable transceiver RFID subsystem andthus the above examples are not an exhaustive list of the possibleconfigurations.

In some embodiments, wherein due to the presence of shielding materialin the housing 12 mechanical structure, the reader RFID antenna 400 andRFID antenna 39 may not be coupled with a direct broadside magneticcoupling as illustrated in FIG. 6. In such embodiments, an external RFIDrepeater 100 illustrated in FIG. 8 can be used to couple the pluggabletransceiver 10 RFID antenna 39 and the external RFID reader 40 RFIDantenna 400. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the transceiverprogramming system includes: an external RFID reader 40; a pluggabletransceiver 10; and an external RFID repeater 100. For example, theexternal RFID repeater 100 can concentrate and couple magnetic fields,and passively relay RFID communications between an external RFID reader40 and the RFID antenna 39 to facilitate programming the pluggabletransceiver 10 using an external RFID reader 40. In the presentembodiment, the external RFID repeater 100 is configured with at leastone substrate 110 that includes: a printed circuit assembly, the printedcircuit assembly containing: a first outlined surface area 120 used tolocate an external RFID reader 40, the first surface area 120 containinga field-concentrating repeater RFID antenna 130 coil and configured tointerface with an external RFID reader 40; a second outlined surfacearea 140 to locate a pluggable transceiver 10, the second surface area140 containing a field-concentrating repeater RFID antenna 150 coil andconfigured to interface with a pluggable transceiver 10; and anelectrical connection 160 between the repeater RFID antenna 130 coil andthe repeater RFID antenna 150 coil; wherein the repeater RFID antenna130 and the repeater RFID antenna 150 are interconnected to enable RFIDcommunications between an external RFID reader 40 and a pluggabletransceiver 10 therethrough. FIG. 9 illustrates an isometric view of adual SFP and QSFP pluggable transceiver 10 external field-concentratingRFID repeater 100 according to an embodiment, including an externalfield-concentrating RFID repeater 100 with a smartphone external RFIDreader 40 and an SFP pluggable transceiver 10 located over theircorresponding repeater RFID antennae.

In other embodiments, the repeater RFID antenna 130 and repeater RFIDantenna 150 can be configured with other coil structures, for example aspiral or loop or coil shaped structure printed or etched on a solid orflexible substrate or on a PCBA, or a coil inductor, etc. It should benoted that in other embodiments, first external repeater RFID antenna130 and second external repeater RFID antenna 150 can have otherorientations and/or configurations, for example another antenna type,operating frequency and/or coupling technology such as a UHF RF antenna.In some embodiments, the external RFID repeater 100 can include: anexternal RFID reader substrate with an outlined surface area 120, suchsurface area 120 containing a repeater RFID antenna 130 coil configuredto interface with the external RFID reader 40, such repeater RFIDantenna 130 configured to connect to a cable (e.g. a detachable ornondetachable connection); a pluggable transceiver substrate with anoutlined surface area 140, such surface area 140 containing a repeaterRFID antenna 150 coil configured to interface with a pluggabletransceiver 10, such repeater RFID antenna 150 configured connect to acable; and an interconnecting cable; wherein the first repeater RFIDantenna 130 and second repeater RFID antenna 150 are interconnected toenable RFID communications between an external RFID reader 40 and apluggable transceiver 10 therethrough. In some embodiments, the outlinedsurface area can be sized to fit the mechanical outline of an MSA orother pluggable transceiver 10 housing dimensions. A person ofreasonable skill in the art will understand that the coupled antennasare used to re-direct and realign the external magnetic fields of theRFID communications path to the internal antenna of the pluggabletransceiver RFID subsystem and thus the above examples are not anexhaustive list of the possible configurations.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, an internal/external RFIDrepeater 200 is used to passively relay RFID communications between anexternal RFID reader 40 and the RFID antenna 38. The internal/externalRFID repeater 200 is mounted to an exterior of the housing and includes:a substrate 210 containing a first external field-concentrating RFIDantenna; a second internal RFID repeater antenna 90 mounted to on anunderside of said substrate; and a connection between the first andsecond repeater antennae to enable RF communications therethrough. Theexternal RFID reader 40 antenna is positioned proximate to the externalrepeater RFID antenna 210 within the read range, the external repeaterRFID antenna 210 being configured as a coil mounted on an exterior ofthe housing 12 over the aperture 26, the internal repeater RFID antenna90 being configured as a coil positioned through the aperture 26proximate to the RFID antenna 38 within the read range; wherein the twointernal/external repeater RFID antenna coils are interconnected toenable RFID communications between the external RFID reader 40 and theRFID antenna 38 therethrough. The RFID antenna 38 coil is surfacemounted and electrically connected to the PCBA 32. The orientation ofexternal RFID reader 40 is preferably in the X-Y plane, the orientationof the external repeater RFID antenna 210 magnetic axes is preferably inthe Z plane, the orientation of the internal repeater RFID antenna 90and the RFID antenna 38 magnetic axes are preferably in the X-Y plane,the external RFID reader 40 RFID antenna is preferably centered abovethe internal/external repeater RFID antenna 210, and theinternal/external repeater RFID antenna 220 is preferably centered aboveand proximate to the RFID antenna 38. In the illustrated embodiment, themagnetic field 415 couples the external RFID reader 40 antenna wires 410and external repeater RFID antenna wires 411, and the magnetic field 416couples the internal repeater RFID antenna 90 and the RFID antenna 38.

In the illustrated embodiment, the internal/external RFID repeater 200substrate includes an external RFID antenna 210 built in a planarstructure and contains an EM substrate 65, for example a layer offerromagnetic material that minimizes the effects of a metallic housing12 on the coupling field, the EM substrate 65 being configured improvethe magnetic coupling between the external RFID reader 40 and theexternal RFID antenna 210, for example by preventing eddy currents fromforming on the metal housing, the EM substrate 65 also attenuatingunintended electro-magnetic emissions radiating from the aperture 26,the EM substrate 65 being secured to an underside of the external RFIDantenna 210 substrate, wherein the EM substrate 65 includes a conductiveadhesive provided on the bottom surface to attach the internal/externalRFID repeater 200 to the pluggable transceiver 10. In an embodiment, theinternal/external RFID repeater 200 substrate is a solid or flexiblesubstrate such polymide or PET containing a printed or etched circuit,the external repeater RFID antenna 210 is configured with a printed coilor loop or spiral structure on said substrate, the internal repeaterRFID antenna 220 is configured as inductor coil having a ceramic orferrite core material, and the external repeater RFID antenna 210 coiland the internal repeater RFID antenna 90 coil are interconnected with acircuit printed or etched on said substrate. It should be noted that inother embodiments, the RFID antenna 38, first external repeater RFIDantenna 210 and second internal repeater RFID antenna 90 can have otherorientations and or configurations, for example another antenna type,operating frequency and/or coupling technology such as a UHF RF antenna.In other embodiments, the external repeater RFID antenna 210 andinternal repeater RFID antenna 90 and the RFID antenna 38 coil sizes canbe increased to increase the read range. In an embodiment, theinternal/external RFID repeater 200 includes a passive componentconfigured to ensure antenna resonance matching. In an embodiment, thepassive component is constructed using the same substrate and conductivematerial of the antenna structures. A passive element or the use of theconductive layers separated by the substrate dielectric can be added toadjust the resonant structure of the repeater. A person of reasonableskill in the art will understand that the coupled antennas are used tore-direct and realign the external magnetic fields of the RFIDcommunications path to the internal antenna of the pluggable transceiverRFID subsystem and thus the above examples are not an exhaustive list ofthe possible configurations. In another embodiment, the externalrepeater RFID antenna 210 can be configured with electrical wiring orcabling or connector, said wiring or cabling or connector beingconnected to the PCBA 32 with the external repeater RFID antenna 210being connected to the RFID memory 36 to enable RFID communicationstherethrough, for example the internal repeater RFID antenna 90 and RFIDantenna 38 are not required in this configuration to support RFIDcommunications between the external RFID reader 40 and the RFID memory36.

In the illustrated embodiments, electrically conductive components orparts of the housing 12 (e.g. metal or metallic parts) are generallyconnected to an electrical ground point, wherein the pluggabletransceiver 10 and housing 12 are connected to ground when installed ina host. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the metalliccomponents and parts affect the RF signal propagation. In addition, thePCBA 32 may contain other IC components and or materials that alsoaffect the RF signal propagation. Consequently, the housing 12 and orPCBA 32 are preferably adapted where necessary to minimize interferencefrom metallic components or parts to enable RF signals radiating fromthe RFID antenna 38 or RFID antenna 39 to couple with the tag RFIDantenna 60 or external RFID reader 40 respectively. In an embodiment,the housing 12 and or PCBA 32 can be adapted with a ferrite material tominimize the effect of said components, parts and materials on the RFIDantenna coupling.

In some embodiments, the housing 12 can be configured to detachablyconnect to a host, for example as specified in an MSA, and the housing12 and smart label 28 can be physically configured to enable thepluggable transceiver 10 and attached smart label 28 orinternal/external RFID repeater 200 to be installed in a host pluggabletransceiver port, for example installed in a standard MSA SFP cageassembly of a host Ethernet switch.

Preferably, controller 22 comprises a program executing thereon(hereinafter referred to as the “programming manager”) that programs,configures and/or reads the memory 24 using programming information ordata stored in an RFID memory, for example stored in RFID memory 36 ortag RFID memory 55. In some embodiments, for example as illustrated inFIG. 1, the memory 24 is programmed when the pluggable transceiver 10configured with a smart label 28 containing pluggable transceiverprogramming information or data is installed and powered up, whereinduring the controller 22 initialization (e.g. the process of booting,loading and starting the operating system and or application program, ICprogramming/configuration, etc.) the programming manager invokes theRFID reader 30 to read the data stored in the smart label 28 tag RFIDmemory 55, and programs the memory 24 according to the desired operatingconfiguration defined by the data read from the smart label 28 tag RFIDmemory 55. In other embodiments, for example as illustrated in FIG. 2,the pluggable transceiver 10 can be configured with an RFID memory 36,the RFID memory 36 being programmed with programming information (e.g.data) using an external RFID reader 40 prior to installing the pluggabletransceiver 10 in the host, the memory 24 is programmed when thepluggable transceiver 10 is installed and powered up, wherein during thecontroller 22 initialization the programming manager reads the datastored in the RFID memory 36, and programs the memory 24 according tothe desired operating configuration defined by the data read from theRFID memory 36.

In the embodiments described above, the programming manager executingduring said initialization processes the data read from the smart label28 tag RFID memory 55 or RFID memory 36, and such data provides theoperating set-up necessary for the programming manager to program thememory 24, and the programming manager automatically programs the memory24 using such data. Once the memory 24 has been programmed using suchdata and the controller 22 initialization is complete, the pluggabletransceiver 10 is ready for service and can be said to be in a desiredoperating configuration (i.e. a programmed configuration). For example,the programming manager can program the pluggable transceiver 10 memory24 according to the desired operating configuration defined by the dataread from the RFID memory 36, wherein the data is used to program and orconfigure at least one the following (among others):

-   -   host interface 20, for example to configure an MSA and or other        standard and or proprietary host interface 20 memory map data        fields with data;    -   network interface 14, for example to configure the optical        transmission wavelength of the optical-electrical converter 16        to a specific wavelength;    -   pluggable transceiver 10 ICs, for example programming the        configuration registers of a laser driver and receiver amplifier        ASIC with data;    -   memory 24, for example programming the memory 24 with program        initialization data used to configure a controller 22 and or        protocol processor 18 program stored in memory 24, such as data        to initialize an operating system, or for example programming        the memory 24 with a program configured to execute on a        controller 22 and or protocol processor 18; and    -   a program executing on the controller 22, for example to direct        a program executing on the controller 22 to read specific data        stored in memory 24.

In an embodiment, the RFID data used to program the memory 24 includesone or more memory address, said memory addresses pointing to one ormore programs and/or data stored in memory 24, for example said programsand/or data can be pre-programmed in the memory 24 during themanufacturing process or when installed in a host. In an embodiment, thememory 24 is configured with a plurality of programs and/or data, andsaid programs and/or data are executed by a controller 22 and/or aprotocol processor 18 using the memory address stored in memory 24. Inan embodiment, the programming manager reads the RFID data stored in thesmart label 28 or RFID memory 36, and programs the memory 24 with thememory address provided in the RFID data, wherein a program running onthe controller 22 reads the memory address from memory 24 and executes aprogram stored in memory 24 using said memory address, and therebyprograms the pluggable transceiver 10 according to the desired operatingconfiguration defined by the RFID data. In an embodiment, theprogramming manager reads the memory address stored in the smart label28 or RFID memory 36, and programs the memory 24 with the memoryaddress, wherein a program running on the controller 22 reads the memoryaddress from memory 24 and reads data stored in memory 24 using saidmemory address defined by the RFID data, and thereby programs thepluggable transceiver 10 according to the desired operatingconfiguration defined by the RFID data. For example, memory 24 can beconfigured with a plurality of programs and/or data during themanufacturing process, said programs and/or data enabling the pluggabletransceiver 10 to provide a plurality of network and/or managementoperating configurations. For example, the pluggable transceiver 10 canbe an SFP providing NID functionality and a CLI management interface, oran SFP providing MPLS packet gateway functionality and a Web GUImanagement interface. As can be appreciated, the programming manager canread the RFID data from the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36 and programthe memory 24 with the memory address defined by the RFID data, thecontroller 22 can read the memory address from memory 24 during theinitialization process and execute a program stored in memory 24, and/orcan read data from memory 24 using the memory address or addresses readfrom the RFID memory. In another example, the memory address read fromthe RFID memory can be used to select, load, read, and/or index a hostinterface 20 memory map (e.g. standard MSA QSFP+ memory map, data fieldsand values) stored in memory 24. In an embodiment, the RFID data storedin the RFID memory can be configured with at least one memory address oridentifier, wherein the memory address or identifier is used bycontroller 22 and/or protocol processor 18 to perform at least one ofthe following using programs and/or data preprogrammed in the memory 24:

-   -   execute a boot program;    -   execute an operating system program;    -   execute protocol processor 18 program;    -   program a protocol processor using data;    -   execute an application program stored;    -   select or load or read or index a host interface 20 or network        interface 14 management information data (e.g. a data field and        value defined in an MSA host interface);    -   move or copy programs and or data to or from the memory 24; and    -   move or copy programs and or data from a network address        location, for example programs and data stored in a remote        management system connected to a network, to the memory 24.

In the present embodiment, the programming manager configured to onlyprogram the memory 24 when the pluggable transceiver 10 is powered upand first initialized with the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36programming information data, wherein such programming manager notprogramming the memory 24 using said programming information data insubsequent controller 22 initializations. In an embodiment, theprogramming manager stores the programming information data read fromthe RFID memory in memory 24 during said first initialization. Forexample, based on this programming method, after a pluggable transceiver10 is first initialized with the smart label 28 and its memory 24programmed to the desired operating configuration defined by the datathe pluggable transceiver 10 is ready for service once saidinitialization is completed, subsequently, when the host configures thememory 24 with a new operating configuration (e.g. to change thresholdparameter settings) via the host interface 20 thereby changing theprogrammed operating configuration, such new operating configurationwill not be overwritten by the programming manager with the desiredoperating configuration on subsequent controller 22 initializations. Forexample, the programming manager can determine that a current programmedconfiguration corresponds to a programmed configuration defined by thesmart label, even if some parameters have been altered, if it isdetermined that the programmed configurations correspond, theprogramming manager will not overwrite the programmed configuration ofthe transceiver 10.

In the present embodiment, if the programming manager cannot obtain theprogramming information, the programming manager programs the pluggabletransceiver 10 to operate in a pre-determined or default service mode oroperational state, for example in one embodiment the pluggabletransceiver 10 default programmed configuration is disabled or inanother embodiment the pluggable transceiver 10 operates using a defaulthost interface 20 memory map, data fields and values stored in memory 24or in another embodiment the controller 22 is initialized using defaultprograms and data stored in memory 24, etc.

In another embodiment, the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36 is readduring every controller 22 initialization and the programminginformation read from the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36 processed bythe programming manager to determine the state of said programminginformation, for example not installed, installed, changed, failed,invalid, missing, etc. and update the programmed configuration of thepluggable transceiver 10 accordingly. In an embodiment, the programmingmanager reads the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36 periodically duringnormal operation and the programming information read from the smartlabel 28 or RFID memory 36 processed by the programming manager todetermine the state of the programming information and update theprogrammed configuration of the pluggable transceiver 10 accordingly.

In an embodiment, the programming manager programs the memory 24 whenthe controller 22 is initialized and the programming information dataread from the RFID memory is different from the programming informationdata stored in memory 24, wherein the programming information datastored in memory 24 used to define the current operating configuration.In an embodiment, the programming manager erases the programmedconfiguration stored in the memory 24 or disables the pluggabletransceiver 10 whenever the programming manager determines that thestate of the programming information read from the RFID memory haschanged or missing or invalid (e.g. the smart label 28 was removed orthe contents of the RFID memory 36 altered after the pluggabletransceiver 10 was first initialized) or when a new smart label 28 isattached to the pluggable transceiver 10 or when an external RFID reader40 writes new programming information to the RFID memory 36. In anembodiment, the programming manager does not alter the programmedinformation stored in the memory 24 whenever the programming managerdetects that the state of the programming information read from the RFIDmemory is failed, missing, changed, invalid, or not installed. In otherembodiments, the programming manager requests the host enter a passwordor access code or licensing information or other information via thehost interface 20 or the network interface 14, wherein said informationis used to enable programming the memory 24 with the programminginformation data read from the RFID memory.

In an embodiment, a pluggable transceiver 10 manufacturer programs atleast one smart label 28 with programming information data using andexternal RFID reader for each pluggable transceiver 10 manufactured. Inanother embodiment, a pluggable transceiver 10 manufacturer programs theRFID memory with programming information using and external RFID readerfor each pluggable transceiver 10 manufactured. In an embodiment, suchprogramming information identified and configured specifically for apluggable transceiver 10 manufacturers product equipment code, whereinsuch product equipment code defines a pluggable transceiver 10 operatingconfiguration. In an embodiment, a pluggable transceiver 10 configuredto be programmed using any one of a plurality of smart labels 28, eachsmart label 28 identified with a different product equipment code. In anembodiment, a plurality of pluggable transceivers 10 each configuredwith a smart label 28 identified with the same product equipment code,wherein each pluggable transceiver operates in the same predeterminedconfiguration. In an embodiment, the RFID memory configured to beprogrammed using any one of a plurality of programming information, eachidentified with a different product equipment code. For example, thesmart label 28 or RFID memory 36 programmed with programminginformation, such programming information identified and comprising dataconfigured for a specific product equipment code. For example, theprogramming information for a given SFP transceiver product equipmentcode defines a plurality of standard MSA host interface 20 memory mapdata fields and values to be programmed in the memory 24 while theprogramming information for a different SFP transceiver productequipment code defines a plurality of different standard MSA hostinterface 20 memory map data fields and values to be programmed in thememory 24. In an embodiment, the programming information programmed ineach smart label 28 or each RFID memory 36 for a given product equipmentcode is unique to the pluggable transceiver 10 receiving saidprogramming information. For example, the programming information for agiven product equipment code contains a pluggable transceiver 10 serialnumber, wherein the serial number for each pluggable transceiver 10manufactured is unique, therefore for a given product equipment code aplurality of programming information is provided each identified andconfigured with a unique serial number, said plurality of programminginformation is used to program a plurality of pluggable transceivers 10,each pluggable transceiver 10 programmed with the same product equipmentcode and with a different serial number stored in memory 24.

In an embodiment, the programming manager programs the memory 24 of apluggable transceiver 10 using the programming information only whensaid pluggable transceiver 10 is compatible with said programminginformation, wherein the compatibility is based on comparingcompatibility information stored in the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36with compatibility information stored in the memory 24, for examplecompatibility is determined based on matching the product equipment codecontained in the programming information with the product equipment codestored in memory 24. In an embodiment, the compatibility informationdata contained in the programming information includes at least one ofthe following:

-   -   product equipment code;    -   hardware compatibility code;    -   programming information version code;    -   licensing or licensee code;    -   password.

For example, a manufacturer can program a smart label 28 or RFID memory36 with RFID data, such RFID data containing a product equipment codeand an MSA SFP+ transceiver host interface 20 memory map, data fieldsand corresponding values for memory map locations starting at A0H,memory map locations starting at A2h, proprietary host interface 20memory map, data fields and/or values (e.g. to support a networkfunction provided by a protocol processor 18). The programming managercan read the RFID data from the smart label 28 or RFID memory 36 andcompare the product equipment code with the pluggable transceiver 10product equipment code stored in memory 24, the programming managerprogramming the memory 24 using the programming information defined inthe RFID if the pluggable transceiver 10 product equipment code iscompatible with programming information product equipment code.

In some embodiments, the programming manager can write information tothe smart label 28 or RFID memory 36, for example the pluggabletransceiver 10 hardware serial number or other unique identifier, apassword, a programming log, etc. For example, such information can bestored in the memory 24 when the pluggable transceiver 10 ismanufactured, and the programming manager can write such information tothe smart label 28 This information can be used to logically bind thesmart label 28 to the pluggable transceiver 10 so that the smart label28 cannot be reused by another pluggable transceiver 10.

In an embodiment, when a user installs and/or connects a pluggabletransceiver 10 configured with a smart label 28 or with a RFID memory 36having stored thereon data defining a desired programmed configurationin a host, the pluggable transceiver 10 can automatically power up, thecontroller 22 can start the initialization process, the programmingmanager can read the programming information stored in the smart label28 or RFID memory 36, and the programming manager can determine thestate of the programming information and the compatibility of theprogramming information with the pluggable transceiver 10. Theprogramming manager can subsequently program the memory 24 according tothe desired operating configuration defined by the RFID data the firsttime the controller 20 is initialized with such RFID data when theprogramming information defined by the RFID data is valid and compatiblewith the pluggable transceiver 10. For example, such programminginformation can consist of a product equipment code, and MSA SFP+ hostinterface 20 memory map for A0h and A2h shown in FIG. 11 containing aplurality of memory map data fields shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 13, and FIG.14 and corresponding data field data, and can define a desired operatingconfiguration to be programmed in memory 24 for a given pluggabletransceiver 10 product equipment code.

In an embodiment, the external RFID reader 40 can be configured toobtain pluggable transceiver 10 identification information from a userinterface or by scanning a bar code label or by reading a smart label 28or an RFID memory 36, wherein the external RFID reader 40 uses saididentification information to obtain a corresponding programminginformation from its local database and/or memory, and/or a networkdatabase and/or remote management system, and program the smart label 28or the RFID memory 36 with said programming information. For example,said pluggable transceiver 10 identification information can be aproduct equipment code stored in memory 24.

In the embodiments described above, the pluggable transceiver 10 isprogrammable via a programming interface comprising an RFID device, suchas a smart label 28 containing an RFID tag and/or an external RFIDreader. As can be appreciated, the pluggable transceiver 10 can beconfigured with other types of programming interfaces to program thetransceiver 10 in a desired operating configuration. For example, in anembodiment, the pluggable transceiver 10 can be configured with one ormore switches, for example a dual in line package (DIP) switch, and thecontroller 22 can be configured with a corresponding switch interface,for example a general purpose input output (GPIO) interface. In such anembodiment, the programming manager can invoke the controller 22 to readthe state of the switch or switches to obtain the programminginformation and to program the memory 24 according to the desiredoperating configuration defined by the switches (i.e. in thisembodiment, a switch is used to provide the programming informationinstead of smart label 28 or an RFID memory 36). For example, FIG. 15illustrates the bottom view of an SFP pluggable transceiver 10 with twoDIP switches 300 and a table 310 indicating the programming informationdata (e.g. Program #) selected based on the position of each DIP switch.In some embodiments, said programming information can be used to indexor point to memory address locations in memory 24 where the actualprogramming information and/or programmed configuration defining adesired operating configuration is stored. The programming informationand/or programmed configuration can be pre-programmed in the memory 24,for example during the manufacturing process. Note that the number ofpossible programming information configurations provided using Nswitches is 2^(N). For example, each such programmed information storedin memory 24 can consist of an MSA SFP+ transceiver host interface 20memory map for locations starting at A0h and A2h shown in FIG. 11, thememory map containing a plurality of data fields shown in FIG. 12, FIG.13, and FIG. 14 and data field values that define a desired operatingconfiguration of the pluggable transceiver 10, wherein a desiredoperating configuration can be selected using programming informationdefined by the switch.

An advantage of the programmable pluggable transceiver described hereinis that it helps to reduce the quantity of purpose built pluggabletransceiver types kept in inventory and the consequent cost overhead.Using the programming system and methods described herein, fewer purposebuilt pluggable transceivers types will be programmed during themanufacturing process since the programming of a pluggable transceivercan easily be performed at any point prior to the installation of thepluggable transceiver in a host. For example, an inventory of MSAcompliant purpose-built optical pluggable transceivers each with adifferent programmed operating configuration can be replaced with asingle optical pluggable transceiver 10 configured with an RFID reader30 as described herein, and a plurality of smart labels 28 eachcontaining RFID data with different programming information. Eachprogramming smart label 28 can define a different desired operatingconfiguration. In another example, an inventory of MSA compliantpurpose-built optical pluggable transceivers each with a differentprogrammed operating configuration can be replaced with a single opticalpluggable transceiver 10 configured with an RFID memory 36 as describedherein, and an external RFID reader 40 (e.g. a smart phone configured toprogram pluggable transceivers using RFID) can contain RFID datacomprising programming information defining a plurality of differentpossible operating configurations. The transceiver 10 can be programmedwith a desired one of the plurality of operating configurations usingthe RFID reader 40 before or during installation, for example. A furtheradvantage of the programmable transceivers described herein is areduction in the time and cost incurred in programming a plurality ofpluggable transceivers to support a plurality of applications oroperational scenarios using current methods due to the elimination ofproprietary programming systems that power the pluggable transceiver andprogram its memory 24. Another advantage of programmable transceiversdescribed herein is that they provide more flexibility to supportun-forecasted deployments since the pluggable transceiver 10 can easilybe programmed in the field or in the supply chain to support a pluralityof applications or operational scenarios by attaching the appropriatesmart label 28 or by programming the RFID memory 36 prior to itsinstallation in a host system. Another advantage of the programmabletransceivers described herein is that they can reduce the time andexpenses incurred in identifying a pluggable transceiver 10 includingits programmed configuration while in the supply chain or duringinstallation and maintenance, since the host interface 20 memory mapdata fields and values stored in memory 36 can be read using an externalRFID reader 40. Another advantage of the programmable transceiversdescribed herein is that a plurality of programming informationincluding associated product specifications, etc. can be downloaded tothe external RFID reader 40 from a network database of remotemanagement. Another advantage of the programmable transceivers describedherein is a reduction in the identification and programming errorsintroduced by operators during the device manufacturing or servicelifecycle since pluggable transceiver 10 can be fully automated and doesnot require operator intervention except for the smart label 28installation.

Exemplary embodiments have been described herein with respect to usersprogramming pluggable transceivers; using a smart label with an embeddedpassive RFID tag; and using an external RFID reader. The describedembodiments provide pluggable transceiver programming systems using RFIDor other programming interfaces to enable cost effective pluggabletransceiver manufacturing, and to minimize service provider supply chainand operational logistics and expenses. With pluggable transceivers asdescribed herein, other areas of application such as inventorymanagement using RFID as part of an entire enterprise supply chainmanagement system can also be enabled. In such a supply chainmanagement, an external RFID reader can interrogate each smart label 28or RFID memory 36 to extract each pluggable transceiver'sproduct/hardware/software information including the programminginformation, can send such information to a computer for administrativepurposes, and can program each smart label and pluggable transceiverwith programming information defining a desired operating configuration.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have beendescribed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates thatvarious modifications and changes can be made without departing from thescope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly,the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrativerather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intendedto be included within the scope of present teachings.

The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) thatmay cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is definedsolely by the appended claims including any amendments made during thependency of this application and all equivalents of those claims asissued.

Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second,top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish oneentity or action from another entity or action without necessarilyrequiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between suchentities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”,“having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any othervariation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, suchthat a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has,includes, contains a list of elements does not include only thoseelements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherentto such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by“comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . .a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence ofadditional identical elements in the process, method, article, orapparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms“a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly statedotherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”,“approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined asbeing close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and inone non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, inanother embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and inanother embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein isdefined as connected, although not necessarily directly and notnecessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” ina certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also beconfigured in ways that are not listed.

It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one ormore generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such asmicroprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors andfield programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored programinstructions (including both software and firmware) that control the oneor more processors to implement, in conjunction with certainnon-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of themethod and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or allfunctions could be implemented by a state machine that has no storedprogram instructions, or in one or more application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certainof the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, acombination of the two approaches could be used.

Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readablestorage medium having computer readable code stored thereon forprogramming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform amethod as described and claimed herein. Examples of suchcomputer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, ahard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storagedevice, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read OnlyMemory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flashmemory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill,notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choicesmotivated by, for example, available time, current technology, andeconomic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principlesdisclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such softwareinstructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims arehereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as part of theoriginal disclosure, and remain so even if cancelled from the claimsduring prosecution of the application, with each claim standing on itsown as a separately claimed subject matter. Furthermore, subject matternot shown should not be assumed to be necessarily present, and that insome instances it may become necessary to define the claims by use ofnegative limitations, which are supported herein by merely not showingthe subject matter disclaimed in such negative limitations.

I claim:
 1. A method for programming a network transceiver, the methodcomprising the steps of: a) receiving RFID data from an RFID device inproximity to the network transceiver, said RFID data being received viaan RFID antenna in communication with an RFID reader or an RFID memorypositioned inside an electromagnetically shielding housing of thenetwork transceiver, said RFID data defining an operating configurationof the network transceiver; and b) programming the network transceiveraccording to the operating configuration defined by the RFID data. 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna is positionedinside the electromagnetically shielding housing of the networktransceiver, further wherein the RFID data is received via an RFIDsignal passing through a dielectric interface in the electromagneticallyshielding housing.
 3. The method according to claim 0, wherein the RFIDdevice comprises an RFID tag or an RFID reader/writer.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein step b) is performed after installing orconnecting the network transceiver in a host device.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein step a) is performed prior to powering upthe network transceiver.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein theRFID data comprises program instructions or operating parameters,further wherein programming the network transceiver comprises loadingthe program instructions or operating parameters into memory onboard thenetwork transceiver.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein theRFID data comprises a memory address pointing to a location in memoryonboard the network transceiver comprising program instructions oroperating parameters, further wherein programming the networktransceiver comprises loading the program instructions or operatingparameters from said location in memory.
 8. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the RFID data comprises a network location, furtherwherein programming the network transceiver comprises retrieving programinstructions or operating parameters from the network location, andloading the program instructions or operating parameters into memoryonboard the network transceiver.
 9. The method according to claim 1,wherein the RFID data comprises an identifier, further whereinprogramming the network transceiver comprises loading programinstructions or operating parameters preloaded in memory onboard thenetwork transceiver corresponding to the identifier.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the RFID data comprises compatibilitydata, further wherein programming the network transceiver comprises apreliminary step of validating whether the network transceiver iscompatible with the operating configuration defined by the RFID data.11. The method according to claim 1, wherein step b) comprisesdetermining whether the network transceiver is already programmed in acurrent operating configuration, and programming the network transceiverif the network transceiver is not already in a programmed configuration,or if the current operating configuration of the network transceiverdiffers from the operating configuration defined by the RFID data. 12.The method according to claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna extends atleast partially outside the electromagnetically shielding housing of thenetwork transceiver.
 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein theRFID antenna is detachably connected to the network transceiver.
 14. Anetwork transceiver comprising: an electromagnetically shieldinghousing; a host interface for connecting to a host; a network interfacefor transmitting and receiving signals to and from a network; an RFIDantenna for receiving RFID data from an RFID device in proximity to thenetwork transceiver; an RFID reader or an RFID memory positioned withinthe electromagnetically shielding housing, and in communication with theRFID antenna; and a controller in operative communication with thenetwork interface and the RFID reader or RFID memory, said controlleroperating the network interface according to an operating configuration,wherein the operating configuration of the controller is programmedusing the RFID data received via the RFID antenna and RFID reader orRFID memory.
 15. The network transceiver according to claim 14, whereinthe electromagnetically shielding housing comprises sidewalls made froman electromagnetically shielding material, and comprises a dielectricinterface for allowing electromagnetic signals to pass therethrough,said dielectric interface being surrounded by the electromagneticallyshielding material.
 16. The network transceiver according to claim 15,wherein the RFID antenna is positioned inside the electromagneticallyshielding housing and adjacent the dielectric interface.
 17. The networktransceiver according to claim 15, wherein the dielectric interface iscovered with a smart label comprising an RFID tag embedded therein. 18.The network transceiver according to claim 15, wherein the dielectricinterface is defined by at least one aperture in a sidewall of theelectromagnetically shielding housing.
 19. The network transceiveraccording to claim 15, further comprising an internal RFID repeater forrelaying RFID signals from an exterior of the electromagneticallyshielding housing to the RFID antenna, said internal RFID repeatercomprising first and second repeater antennas positioned within theelectromagnetically shielding housing, the first repeater antenna beingpositioned proximate the aperture, and the second repeater antenna beingpositioned proximate the RFID antenna.
 20. The network transceiveraccording to claim 15, further comprising an external RFID repeater forrelaying RFID signals from an exterior of the electromagneticallyshielding housing to the RFID antenna, said external RFID repeatercomprising first and second repeater antennas positioned on an exteriorof the housing, the first repeater antenna being positioned adjacent theaperture and the second repeater antenna being spaced apart from thefirst repeater antenna and positioned to interface with an external RFIDdevice.
 21. The network transceiver according to claim 14, furthercomprising a metallic housing enclosing the controller and RFID antenna,and an RFID repeater extending between an interior and an exterior ofthe housing, said RFID repeater comprising a first repeater antennapositioned on the exterior of the housing, and a second RFID antennapositioned in the interior of the housing.
 22. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium having instruction stored thereon which, whenexecuted by a controller of a network transceiver having an RFID antennain communication with an RFID reader or RFID memory positioned within anelectromagnetically shielding housing, causes the controller to: a)receive RFID data from an RFID device in proximity to the networktransceiver via the RFID antenna and RFID reader or RFID memory, saidRFID data defining an operating configuration of the networktransceiver; and b) program a controller in the network transceiveraccording to the operating configuration defined by the RFID data.